The aim of this study was to develop and test rapid MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) in patients with brain tumors. We implemented and optimized rapid MRSI at 3T using semi-localization by adiabatic selective refocusing pulses (semi-LASER), fast spatial encoding using symmetric echo planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI), and robust water suppression with variable power and optimized relaxation delays. This rapid imaging approach was tested in a phantom and subsequently in a volunteer and a patient. In vivo studies demonstrated that high quality MRSI data with voxel volumes less than 0.5 mL can be collected within a clinically feasible time (2 minutes).
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