Diffusion-Weighted Spectroscopy of Water and Cerebral Metabolites at Very Large b Values – What Multiple Components Tell Us

OVERVIEW MR Spectroscopy at large diffusion weighting can specifically look at intracellular components of tissue that are characterized by restricted diffusion and a small apparent diffusion coefficient. Beyond water, H MRS of metabolites at large diffusion weighting proved to be very useful to separate extraand intracellular contributions of metabolites in the brain. Further application of diffusion-weighted MRS with other nuclei than H, e.g., P, F, Li, C, can be utilized to answer specific questions tied to various animal models of disease like ischemia, excitotoxicity, tumor or hydrocephalus (1). Such diffusion-weighted spectroscopy is a powerful tool, using information tied to different compartments, different metabolites, and different tracers.