Echo-Planar Based Correlated Spectroscopic Imaging (EP-COSI): Implementation and Evaluation in Human Skeletal Muscle Using a 3T MRI Scanner and a 8-Channel Knee Coil.

Scott Logan Lipnick¹, Saad Ramadan², Guarav Verma, Michael Albert Thomas

The presented research details the implementation of Echo-Planar Correlation Spectroscopic Imaging (EP-COSI), which utilizes EPI readout, combined with phase encoding to obtain spatially resolved 2D Correlation Spectroscopy (COSY) spectral data sets. The 2D COSY spectra were obtained by iteratively acquiring 1D MRSI data sets with incrementally longer evolution times. The sequence was evaluated in the skeletal calf muscle of 5 healthy human subjects and detected water, unsaturated and saturate fatty acids, choline, and creatine. The results show sufficient spectral and spatial resolution to provide clinically relevant metabolic information, details for improving signal are also given.