Proton magnetization transfer of metabolites in human brain

Off-resonance or pulsed on-resonance saturation pulses were used together w ith localized proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in three brain regions of 20 healthy individuals. Statistically significant signal attenuations w ere observed for creatine-containing metabolites in posterior-parietal brai n (12%), basal ganglia (18%), and cerebellum (15%). N-acetyl- and choline-c ontaining metabolites were not significantly attenuated upon application of saturation pulses in either brain region. The findings are interpreted to reflect possible magnetization transfer between pools of creatine containin g metabolites with different molecular mobility. Magn Reson Med 42:417-420, 1999. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.