ABSTRACT
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a technique which provides a non-invasive method for characterizing the cellular biochemistry of brain pathologies, as well as for monitoring the biochemical changes after treatment in vivo. The principal phenomenon is the so-called "chemical shift," which is caused by the unique shielding from the external magnetic field by the electrons surrounding them. Due to the chemical shift phenomenon, it is evident that MRS is feasible on any nucleus possessing a magnetic moment, such as a proton. H-MRS can provide important in vivo metabolic information and significantly improve the overall diagnostic accuracy of the brain by complementing morphological findings from conventional MRI. With the increasing availability of high field MR scanners, this technique has proved to be an extremely valuable tool in solving difficult differential diagnostic problems, leading to more efficient patient management.
