Adrienne N. Dula1,2, Richard D. Dortch1,2,
Bennett A. Landman2,3, Sid Pawate4, Patrick J. Lavin4,
Edward B. Welch, 1,5, John C. Gore1,2, Seth A. Smith1,2
1Vanderbilt Institute of Imaging
Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; 2Radiology
and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United
States; 3Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Vanderbilt
University, Nashville, TN, United States; 4Neurology, Vanderbilt
Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States; 53MR Clinical
Science, Philips Healthcare, Cleveland, OH, United States
Increased
contrast from chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) effects in human
brain at 7T has been used to study amide proton transfer (APT) and applied in
multiple sclerosis (MS). APT imaging is sensitive to the mobile protons
associated with proteins and peptides. The increased signal, T1, and spectral
dispersion at 7T ameriorate this molecular MRI method. APT asymmetry analysis
at 7T was used to examine unique white matter, gray matter contrast in
healthy controls as well as an MS patient. Herein, we utilize the Water
Spectrum Shift Reference (WASSR) method to correct for B0 inhomogeneities and
center the CEST spectra.