3D localized 1H-13C heteronuclear single-quantum coherence correlation spectroscopy in vivo.

A method for spatially three-dimensional (3D) localized two-dimensional (2D) 1H-13C correlation spectroscopy, localized HSQC, is proposed. This method has the following special feature in the preparation period. The 180 degrees (13C) and 180 degrees (1H) pulses are separated in time, and the 180 degrees (13C) pulse is applied at 1/4 1JCH) before the 90 degrees (1H) polarization transfer pulse. The preparation (echo) period 2tau can then be set substantially longer than 1/(2 1JCH), so that even in a whole-body system, slice-selective 90 degrees (1H) pulses and gradient pulses can be applied in that period. The localization capabilities of this method were confirmed in a phantom experiment. The 3D localized 2D 1H-13C correlation spectra from a monkey brain in vivo were obtained after [1-13C]glucose injection, and amino acid metabolism was detected; that is, [4-13C]glutamate appeared immediately after the injection, followed by the appearance of [2-13C]glutamate, [3-13C]glutamate, and [4-13C]glutamine.