Subechhya Pradhan1,2, John C. Gore2,3,
Kevin W. Waddell3,4
1Vanderbilt University
Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, 37232, United
States; 2Department of Physics & Astronomy, Vanderbilt
University, Nashville, TN, United States; 3Vanderbilt University Institute
of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; 4Department
of Radiology & Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville,
TN, United States
Increased resolution and higher sensitivity at high field require re-evaluation of protocols to optimize data quality. Inspection of signal information surfaces as a function of resolution and echo-time in PRESS show that precision optima for inositols and amino acids are mutually exclusive, and thus cannot be measured optimally at a single echo. Three cases to consider are: 1) methyl-bearing molecules should be acquired at short TE to avoid T2 loss, 2) amino acids (Glu/Gln) at 109 and mI/sI at 30/78 ms (mI), and 3) for amino acids and inositols, the optimum strategy is to combine 30 and 109 ms echoes.