Assessment of Longitudinal Neurometabolic and Neurotransmitter Changes in Ischemic Stroke with Ultrafast J-Resolved MRSI

Motivation: Assessing neurometabolite and neurotransmitter changes is crucial for tissue viability in ischemic stroke, but conventional MRSI lacks efficacy. Goal(s): To use ultrafast J-resolved MRSI to assess longitudinal changes in metabolites and neurotransmitters, characterizing tissue viability in ischemic stroke. Approach: Ultrafast J-resolved MRSI was applied to map neurometabolites and neurotransmitters in a longitudinal stroke cohort at 2×3×3 mm³ resolution. Results: Changes in neurometabolites and neurotransmitters were observed in the infarct core and growth areas. Longitudinal decreases in GABA and glutamine in the core and DWI reversal were correlated with reductions in NAA, while reduced glutamine levels were associated with NAA in the infarct growth. Impact: Ultrafast J-resolved MRSI enables high-resolution mapping of metabolites and neurotransmitters within 11 minutes, offering valuable insights into tissue viability in ischemic stroke patients during longitudinal assessments.