A technique for detecting GABA in the human brain with PRESS localization and optimized refocusing spectral editing radiofrequency pulses.

A proton magnetic resonance spectral editing technique is presented that uses PRESS excitation to achieve spatially localized measurements of brain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). The homonuclear difference spectroscopy technique employs a frequency selective inversion pulse to suppress the creatine resonance at 3.0 ppm. The timing of this pulse is optimized to maximize the suppression of creatine by minimizing the effect of the editing pulse on the 3.0 ppm resonances. The PRESS excitation achieves three dimensional spatial localization in a single acquisition making it less sensitive to patient motion than multiple acquisition techniques. The performance and utility of this technique were evaluated by phantom experiments and by in vivo measurements of brain GABA concentration in 10 normal subjects.