ECHO-PLANAR DIFFUSION SPECTROSCOPIC IMAGING

High-speed diffusion spectroscopic imaging based on an echo-planar tec hnique is presented. A pair of diffusion gradients is applied prior to a rapidly oscillating magnetic field gradient which encodes both chem ical shift and spatial information. By applying this technique to a ph antom consisting of acetone and water, a diffusion spectroscopic image is obtained in about 15 min, about 64 times faster than the time requ ired in the conventional method. The measured diffusion coefficients s how good agreement with previously reported values. This kind of diffu sion spectroscopic imaging is expected to provide a way to observe mor e specific metabolism.