Study of Neurometabolic Alterations in Multiple Sclerosis Using Fast High-Resolution 3D 1H-MRSI

Motivation: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by diverse metabolic alterations. 1H-MRSI provides a unique capability for non-invasive mapping of neurometabolites but is often limited in resolution, scanning time, and brain coverage. Goal(s): Our goal was to demonstrate the feasibility of high-resolution whole-brain 1H-MRSI for characterizing metabolic alterations in MS. Approach: 3D 1H-MRSI scanning using SPICE technology (scan time: 10 minutes, resolution: 2×3×3 mm3, FOV: 240×240×120 mm3) was performed on 44 MS patients. Results: N-acetylaspartate (NAA), myo-inositol (mI), creatine, and choline levels altered among different lesion types and peri-plaque regions. NAA and mI/NAA differentiated RRMS and PMS patients in association with clinical scores. Impact: High-resolution whole-brain 1H-MRSI provides a promising tool for non-invasive metabolic imaging to characterize MS pathophysiology.