Abstract:

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance spectroscopy (DW-MRS) measures metabolite apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) to characterize cellular microstructures. However, physiological motion artifacts and low reproducibility limit its clinical application. This study investigates the effects of different gating methods and cycling modes on DW-MRS results. Twenty-one healthy subjects were included: Six underwent DW-MRS scans using electrocardiogram (ECG) gating, respiratory gating, or no gating, while the remaining 15 were scanned using internal and external b-value cycling to evaluate the impact of cycling modes on ADC reproducibility. ECG gating reduced motion artifacts and mitigated ADC overestimation, while internal cycling improved reproducibility. The combination of ECG gating and internal cycling enhances ADC reliability, supporting the broader clinical application of DW-MRS.

Key words: Diffusion-weighted Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Apparent Diffusion Coefficient, Optimization of Acquisition Protocol, Gating Techniques, Cycling Mode