ABSTRACT
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a challenging technique and should only be used when spectral data accuracy is guaranteed, so as to provide reliable clinical information that cannot be obtained by other imaging techniques. Unfortunately, the use of MRS in clinical practice has been quite limited and this is due to several limitations. To overcome these limitations, researchers and clinicians have tried to gain signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and to detect additional metabolites more reliably by implementing higher field strengths, faster MRSI sequences, and motion corrected MRS acquisitions. This chapter highlights potential pitfalls and artifacts both in the acquisition as well as in the analysis pipeline so that the reader can evaluate and avoid them, contributing to sounder interpretations. Generally, there is a dispute in the MRS community regarding the issue of quantification versus visual interpretation and metabolite ratio evaluation.
