# Fully Automated Motion-corrected MR Spectroscopy in Human Brain and Spinal Cord

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · 2021 · $284,264

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) and spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) allow noninvasive study
of brain chemistry. However, subject motion remains a major obstacle in MRS, especially in motion-prone
populations such as children, the elderly, and patients with movement disorders. Motion results in inaccurate
localization and degrades MRS spectral quality. Most of these effects cannot be corrected retroactively, and
must be corrected prospectively (i.e. in real-time). In the brain, existing prospective motion-corrected MRS
sequences are currently limited to a handful of research centers and are not widely used. In the spinal cord,
prospective motion and shim correction has not been reported. The main objective of this application is to
develop fully automated, high performance, motion-corrected MRS sequences for the brain and spinal cord, that
are also easy to share (no additional external hardware needed) with other institutions and easy to use. Our
specific aims are as follows. In Aim 1A, we will develop improved brain navigators that are faster and less
sensitivity to B0 inhomogeneities, and will allow adjustment of 2nd order shims in the MRS voxel at 3T and 7T. In
Aim 1B, we will develop prospective motion correction in the spinal cord at 3T and 7T. In Aim 2, we will fully
automate the sequence workflow to allow “push-button” acquisition of reproducible, high quality MRS data, even
by non-MRS experts. In Aim 3, we will assess the performance of techniques developed in Aims 1 and 2 in real-
life conditions in healthy volunteers (children, young and elderly adults) and in children with
mucopolysaccharidosis type I, adrenoleukodystrophy and Friedreich ataxia. We will initially develop these new
techniques on Siemens scanners, with the goal of translating them to other manufacturers in the next funding
period. We expect that “push-button” data acquisition together with prospective motion correction will remove
remaining obstacles for acquisition of MRS data with consistently high quality. Both improving spectral quality
as a whole and decreasing the variability in spectral quality are key for reliable MRS measurements. With
improved reliability and ease of use, the full potential of brain and spinal cord MRS will be widely available for
upcoming clinical studies and gene therapy trials.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10200036
- **Project number:** 5R01EB030000-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
- **Principal Investigator:** Dinesh Kumar Deelchand
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $284,264
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-07-01 → 2025-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10200036

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10200036, Fully Automated Motion-corrected MR Spectroscopy in Human Brain and Spinal Cord (5R01EB030000-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10200036. Licensed CC0.

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