Klaus Küper

Whole-body magnetization transfer contrast imaging.

To demonstrate the feasibility of whole‐body magnetization transfer (MT) contrast imaging.

Localized phosphorus NMR spectroscopy: A comparison of the FID, DRESS, CRISIS/CODEX, and STEAM methods in vitro and in vivo using a surface-coil

The FID, DRESS, CRISIS/CODEX, and STEAM techniques for localized 31P NMR spectroscopy were compared using a Siemens Magnetom SP63 1.5 T whole-body imager and a surface-coil, 80 mm in diameter, acting as transmitter and receiver coil. The comparison was performed with phantom experiments and human in vivo investigations on the calf muscle. The phantom experiments which used the same volume size showed a comparable signal-to-noise ratio for FID and DRESS, while the two fully localized techniques showed a reduction in signal-to-noise ratio to 76% for CRISIS/CODEX and 31% for STEAM. The in vivo measurements confirm the phantom results and reveal that CRISIS/CODEX gains a 2.5 fold higher signal-to-noise ratio than STEAM under the same conditions.

Spin-echo methods for the determination of 31P transverse relaxation times of the ATP NMR signals in vivo

31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) examinations of the calf muscles of healthy volunteers were performed to determine T2 of the coupled ATP signals by use of the Hahn spin-echo and the frequency-selective spin-echo method. Additional measurements with the J-coupling refocused double echo are presented. The most reliable determination of T2 relaxation times is possible with the frequency-selective spin echo. The other methods yield substantially wrong results. Theoretical explanations are given how J-coupling and pulse-angle deviations affect the signals and therefore the T2 determinations. The calculations for a weakly coupled homonuclear AX spin system are shown because they demonstrate most of the relevant facts. In addition, some important results for a homonuclear AMX spin system, which the ATP is considered to be, are given.