A

Diffusion‐weighted MR spectroscopy: Consensus, recommendations, and resources from acquisition to modeling

Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, vol. 91, pp. 860–885

Abstract

Brain cell structure and function reflect neurodevelopment, plasticity, and aging; and changes can help flag pathological processes such as neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation. Accurate and quantitative methods to noninvasively disentangle cellular structural features are needed and are a substantial focus of brain research. Diffusion-weighted MRS (dMRS) gives access to diffusion properties of endogenous intracellular brain metabolites that are preferentially located inside specific brain cell populations. Despite its great potential, dMRS remains a challenging technique on all levels: from the data acquisition to the analysis, quantification, modeling, and interpretation of results. These challenges were the motivation behind the organization of the Lorentz Center workshop on "Best Practices & Tools for Diffusion MR Spectroscopy" held in Leiden, the Netherlands, in September 2021. During the workshop, the dMRS community established a set of recommendations to execute robust dMRS studies. This paper provides a description of the steps needed for acquiring, processing, fitting, and modeling dMRS data, and provides links to useful resources.

Authors 27

  1. Clémence Ligneul corresponding

    University of Oxford · Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging

    Affiliation as printed

    Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences University of Oxford Oxford UK

    Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

  2. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    C.J. Gorter MRI Center, Department of Radiology Leiden University Medical Center Leiden The Netherlands

    C.J. Gorter MRI Center, Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

  3. Centre d'Imagerie BioMedicale · Cardiff University

    Affiliation as printed

    CIBM Center for Biomedical Imaging Lausanne Switzerland

    Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology Cardiff University Cardiff UK

    CIBM Center for Biomedical Imaging, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK

  4. University of Alberta

    Affiliation as printed

    Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Radiology University of Alberta Alberta Edmonton Canada

    Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Radiology, University of Alberta, Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

  5. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Inserm · Sorbonne Université · Institut du Cerveau

    Affiliation as printed

    Paris Brain Institute–ICM, Sorbonne University, UMR S 1127, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225 Paris France

  6. University of Oxford · Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging

    Affiliation as printed

    Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences University of Oxford Oxford UK

    Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

  7. Centre d'Imagerie BioMedicale · École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

    Affiliation as printed

    Animal Imaging and Technology, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Lausanne Switzerland

    CIBM Center for Biomedical Imaging Lausanne Switzerland

    CIBM Center for Biomedical Imaging, Lausanne, Switzerland

  8. University of Minnesota

    Affiliation as printed

    Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology University of Minnesota Minnesota Minneapolis USA

    Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA

  9. University of Oxford · Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging

    Affiliation as printed

    Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences University of Oxford Oxford UK

    Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

  10. Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois · University of Lausanne

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Radiology Lausanne University Hospital Lausanne Switzerland

    Faculty of Biology and Medicine University of Lausanne Lausanne Switzerland

    Department of Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

  11. TUM Klinikum · Technical University of Munich

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Technical University of Munich Munich Germany

    Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany

  12. University of Bern

    Affiliation as printed

    MR Methodology, Department for Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology University of Bern Bern Switzerland

    Translational Imaging Center (TIC) Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine Bern Switzerland

    MR Methodology, Department for Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Translational Imaging Center (TIC), Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, Bern, Switzerland

  13. Amager Hospital · Copenhagen University Hospital · Technical University of Denmark

    Affiliation as printed

    Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research Copenhagen University Hospital–Amager anf Hvidovre Hvidovre Denmark

    Department of Health Technology Technical University of Denmark Lyngby Denmark

    Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research Copenhagen University Hospital–Amager anf Hvidovre Hvidovre Denmark

  14. University of Minnesota

    Affiliation as printed

    Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology University of Minnesota Minnesota Minneapolis USA

    Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA

  15. Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences

    Affiliation as printed

    NMR Methods & Development Group Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences Leipzig Germany

    NMR Methods & Development Group Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences Leipzig Germany

  16. Centre d'Imagerie BioMedicale · École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

    Affiliation as printed

    Animal Imaging and Technology, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Lausanne Switzerland

    CIBM Center for Biomedical Imaging Lausanne Switzerland

    LIFMET, EPFL Lausanne Switzerland

    Animal Imaging and Technology, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Lausanne Switzerland

    CIBM Center for Biomedical Imaging, Lausanne, Switzerland

  17. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives · Université Paris-Saclay · Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives · Molecular Imaging Research Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Université Paris‐Saclay, CEA, CNRS, MIRCen, Laboratoires des Maladies Neurodégénératives Fontenay‐aux‐Roses France

  18. University of New Mexico

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurology University of New Mexico School of Medicine New Mexico Albuquerque USA

    Department of Physics and Astronomy University of New Mexico School of Medicine New Mexico Albuquerque USA

    Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA

  19. TUM Klinikum · Technical University of Munich

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Technical University of Munich Munich Germany

    Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany

  20. Cardiff University

    Affiliation as printed

    Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology Cardiff University Cardiff UK

    School of Computer Science and Informatics Cardiff University Cardiff UK

    Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK

    School of Computer Science and Informatics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK

  21. Lund University

    Affiliation as printed

    Medical Radiation Physics, Clinical Sciences Lund Lund University Lund Sweden

    Medical Radiation Physics, Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

  22. Weizmann Institute of Science

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Chemical and Biological Physics The Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot Israel

    Department of Chemical and Biological Physics, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

  23. University Medical Center Utrecht · Cardiff University

    Affiliation as printed

    Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Physics and Astronomy Cardiff University Cardiff United Kingdom

    University Medical Center Utrecht Utrecht The Netherlands

    Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom

    University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

  24. Kennedy Krieger Institute · Johns Hopkins University · Johns Hopkins Medicine

    Affiliation as printed

    F. M. Kirby Center for Functional Brain Imaging Kennedy Krieger Institute Maryland Baltimore USA

    Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Maryland Baltimore USA

    F. M. Kirby Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Maryland, Baltimore, USA

    Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Maryland, Baltimore, USA

  25. Cardiff University

    Affiliation as printed

    Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology Cardiff University Cardiff UK

    School of Computer Science and Informatics Cardiff University Cardiff UK

    Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK

    School of Computer Science and Informatics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK

  26. Brighton and Sussex Medical School

    Affiliation as printed

    Clinical Imaging Sciences Centre Brighton and Sussex Medical School Brighton UK

    Clinical Imaging Sciences Centre, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK

  27. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives · Université Paris-Saclay · Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives · Molecular Imaging Research Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Université Paris‐Saclay, CEA, CNRS, MIRCen, Laboratoires des Maladies Neurodégénératives Fontenay‐aux‐Roses France

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References 130