Rapid proton fat-water spectroscopy for the characterization of non-CNS lesions in vivo.

The presence or absence of fat in lesions can have important diagnostic implications. Current MR techniques for the evaluation of fat within lesions in the body rely on indirect imaging methods. The goal of this study was to develop a rapid clinically practical proton spectroscopy procedure for the direct observation of a localized fat-water signal within the body. The technique developed reliably determined fat-water ratios in phantoms and from lesions in vivo in 6 s with single voxel sizes as small as 0.125 cc.