In vivo clinical application of 1H-MRS

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is sensitive to detect metabolic changes in a brain caused by pathological processes and can be used as a addition to clinical findings. MR spectroscopy is now accessible on most MR systems and can be incorporated into clinical imaging examinations. MR spectroscopy is highly useful for pathophysiological research, for example in human epilepsy, schizophrenia. The implementation of proton MR spectroscopy has enabled to obtain high-resolution spectra even from small, well-defined regions of human brain. It can be used to serially monitor biochemical changes in tumors, stroke, epilepsy, metabolic disorders, infections, and neuro degenerative diseases. The MR spectroscopy require interpretation and should always be correlated with the MR images before making a final diagnosis. (author)