Mapping Glucose and Lactate Concentrations with Microliter Resolution in Rat Brain Using Short-Echo-Time Spectroscopic Imaging

Vladimir Mlynarik¹, Cristina Cudalbu¹, Hanne Frenkel¹, Rolf Gruetter^1,2

Creatine, glucose and lactate concentration maps were obtained in rat brain at different plasma glucose concentrations (up to 15 mmol/L) using short-echo-time proton spectroscopic imaging. The technique was capable to detect relatively small changes in brain glucose and lactate concentrations with changing plasma glucose level. The brain glucose concentrations at different plasma glucose concentrations were in good agreement with reported values obtained by in vivo ¹³C spectroscopy. The study demonstrated feasibility of mapping spatial distribution and changes with physiology of low-concentration metabolites or those having complicated spectral patterns.