Automatic Prescription of 3D MRSI with Optimal Coverage and Outer Volume Suppression

Introduction: Current MRSI protocols that utilize PRESS volume selection require that the region being excited is kept relatively small in order to avoid artifacts from the subcutaneous fat and sinuses. This limits the areas where tumors can be detected and means that, in many cases, only part of the tumor is covered. Manual prescription of an MRSI exam is also time-consuming and requires operator training. This has resulted in limited adoption of MRSI in clinical setting, despite significant advantages in the diagnostic ability that it presents. The goal of this project was to develop a technique that automatically prescribes a PRESS MRSI exam that maximizes the coverage of the brain, while simultaneously optimizing the prescription of the outer volume saturation bands. As such, the current strategy represents a significant advancement on the earlier work that was reported in (1).