SPECTROSCOPIC NMR IMAGING OF SODIUM AND PROTONS

This proposal seeks to extend the application of high resolution spectroscopic imaging techniques for biomedical studies. There are three areas of investigation, these are: i. to develop methods of increasing the dynamic range of the NMR acquisition. This is to be done using a new data acquisition technique and modified receiver electronics. It is intended to be applied for the observation of lactate distributions in vivo by proton NMR without the use of any water suppression techniques. ii. to develop a new spectroscopic imaging method using Fourier encoding techniques, which enables detection of short T2 signals for the observatioin of sodium in vivo. iii. to evaluate the potential biomedical applications of magnetic susceptibility measurement using proton spectroscopic imaging. Evaluation of the imaging techniques is to be done using phantom studies and in vivo observations in small animals using a 3 Tesla, 25 cm bore imaging system.