Three-dimensional C-13-spectroscopic imaging in the isolated infarcted ratheart

Acquisition weighted C-13-spectroscopic imaging with three spatial dimensio ns is demonstrated in the isolated, perfused rat heart. Experiments were pe rformed at 11.75 T with a homebuilt double resonant C-13-H-1 probehead. Thr ee-dimensional chemical shift imaging was used to obtain H-1-decoupled C-13 -spectra in 96-mu 1 voxels in about 58 min. Acquisition weighting significa ntly reduced signal contamination and improved image quality, with no penal ty in sensitivity. As a first application, infarcted hearts were studied du ring perfusion with [2-C-13]-sodium acetate. The extent of the incorporatio n of the C-13-label into glutamate allows us to distinguish intact and infa rcted myocardium. Chemical shift images show a homogeneous glutamate distri bution in intact tissue, but a neglible amount in the infarction scar. (C) 2000 Academic Press.