SPECTROSCOPIC IMAGING OF CIRCULAR VOXELS WITH A 2-DIMENSIONAL FOURIER-SERIES WINDOW TECHNIQUE

Spatial localization with the spectroscopic imaging technique is norma lly implemented with the Fourier-transform approach, yielding rectangu lar voxels, with potentially significant cross-voxel contamination. Mu ltidimensional Fourier-series window (FSW) is an alternate approach th at generates single voxels of predetermined shape, with minimal out-of -voxel contamination. The spatial location of the voxel is shifted by means of postacquisition processing. A two-dimensional circular voxel is introduced, which for many in vivo applications is a good match of the region of interest. Phantom images illustrate the spatial distribu tion of signal intensity within the circular FSW voxels. Phantom spect roscopic studies show excellent spatial localization, with no detectab le out-of-voxel contamination. The circular FSW voxel approach is impl emented in human and animal model studies, demonstrating the technique 's utility. This arbitrary shape approach can be extended to three dim ensions, defining, for example, cylinders, spheres, or ellipsoids. (C) 1994 Academic Press,Inc.