Yun Xiang1, Jun Shen2
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Wuhan Medical and Health Center for Women and Children, Wuhan, Hubei , China; 2NIMH, Bethesda, MD, United States
Acetate is a useful substrate for studying astroglial metabolism. To spectrally separate glutamate C5 (182.0 ppm) and acetate C1 (182.15 ppm) a two-step J editing method was devised. Homonuclear 13C-13C couplings were introduced by infusing [1, 2-13C2]acetate. in vivo and phantom experiments were performed to demonstrate complete spectral separation of glutamate C5 from acetate C1. 13C spectral editing allows for studying acetate transport and metabolism in brain using in vivo 13C MRS of carboxylic/amide carbons without spectral interference.