Abstract #3138

Rapalino O, Salibi N, Babb J, Hesseltine S, Gonen O, Law M

Obtaining spectra from the spinal cord at 3 T is challenging because of cord pulsation, field inhomogeneity and small structure of the cord. We compare metabolite ratios from the cervical spinal cord at 1.5 and 3 Tesla in 20 normal volunteers. Our 1H SVS protocol uses a modified PRESS sequence with small voxel sizes and optional pulse/ECG triggering. Using this modified pulse triggered PRESS sequence, relative metabolite ratios from MRS of the human cervical spinal cord are comparable and reproducible at 1.5T and 3T.