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Abstract #2539

Quantification of Human Brain Metabolites with Different RF Coils

Mller H, Tittgemeyer M, Wetzel T
Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University Hospital Mnster

Twelve volunteers were investigated repetitively by PRESS using two different RF coils. Upon LCModel analysis, the SNR doubled, and Cramer-Rao lower bounds of major peaks improved with an 8-channel array instead of a birdcage coil. Indications of an overestimation of glutamate/glutamine and myo-inositol were obtained for the birdcage coil. The separation of N-acetylaspartate and N-acetylaspartylglutamate was improved for the array-coil. Intersubject variation was of the order of 6% for total NAA. A standard phased-array headcoil yields improved precision or permits major reductions of the total scan time. Pooling of data recorded with different RF coils is not advocated.