Localized two-dimensional ¹H magnetic resonance exchange spectroscopy: A preliminary evaluation in human muscle^†

A localized two-dimensional (2D) ¹H MR chemical exchange spectroscopic (L-EXSY) sequence has been implemented on a whole-body 1.5-T MRI/MRS scanner. The second spectroscopic encoding to monitor the chemical exchange was an integral part of the single-volume localization using three slice-selective 90° radiofrequency (RF) pulses, thereby eliminating the need for any additional RF pulses, off-resonance/continuous wave saturation, or selective inversion, which are essential in the one-dimensional ¹H MR exchange spectroscopy. Even though the TM-crusher dephased single- and higher-order multiple-quantum coherences, the zero-quantum coherences were indistinguishable from the longitudinal magnetization leading to J-coupled 2D cross peaks similar to COSY. With TM of 300 ms, two different exchange cross peaks were recorded in human calf muscle: a first peak, between the mobile tissue water and total creatine pools, and a second peak, possibly between the olefinic and magnetically equivalent poly methylene protons of unsaturated lipids. Our preliminary results demonstrate that the intermolecular and intramolecular chemical exchange mechanisms can be monitored noninvasively in human calf muscle using 2D L-EXSY. Magn Reson Med 53:495–502, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.