Clinical assessment of ischemia and malignancy with magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Summary form only given. Using recent developments in construction of high field magnets, magnetic resonance spectroscopy has been integrated with magnetic resonance imaging for clinical use. Magnetic resonance (MR) spectra can be obtained from an image-defined volume of interest using a variety of magnetic resonance localization techniques. Recently, magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging techniques have been developed which fully combine MR imaging and spectroscopy, presenting metabolic data in the form of an image. Studies of animal tumors have shown that cancers have abnormal spectra. Furthermore, the chemical composition of tumors is rapidly perturbed by cancer therapy. These results suggest that MR spectroscopy may be used as an early and sensitive monitor of response to therapy.<>