Whole brain mapping of NAD at 7T using a 31P 32-channel array coil

Motivation: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is vital in cellular metabolism, existing in an oxidized (NAD+) and reduced (NADH) form. Its submillimolar concentration in the human brain makes its whole brain mapping challenging. Goal(s): To explore the feasibility of whole-brain NAD mapping in human. Approach: 31P MRSI data were acquired from two volunteers using a 31P 32-channel array coil at 7T. Metabolites were quantified with LCModel. Results: 3D whole-brain NAD maps were acquired with decent SNR within 45min. The measured NAD level and NAD+/NADH ratio were stable across two subjects and aligned with previous single-voxel studies. Impact: Our preliminary data demonstrated the feasibility of whole-brain NAD mapping in humans at 7T, which offers the potential to study regional-specific bioenergetics under different pathological conditions.