Hyperpolarized 13C pyruvate mouse brain metabolism with absorptive-mode EPSI at 1T

[Display omitted] •Explicit modeling of signal in echo-planar spectroscopic imaging sequences.•Absorptive-mode EPSI by appropriate choice of initial spectral delay.•Implementation on a 1T permanent magnet.•Imaging of mouse brain metabolism using hyperpolarized 13C pyruvate. The expected signal in echo-planar spectroscopic imaging experiments was explicitly modeled jointly in spatial and spectral dimensions. Using this as a basis, absorptive-mode type detection can be achieved by appropriate choice of spectral delays and post-processing techniques. We discuss the effects of gradient imperfections and demonstrate the implementation of this sequence at low field (1.05T), with application to hyperpolarized [1-13C] pyruvate imaging of the mouse brain. The sequence achieves sufficient signal-to-noise to monitor the conversion of hyperpolarized [1-13C] pyruvate to lactate in the mouse brain. Hyperpolarized pyruvate imaging of mouse brain metabolism using an absorptive-mode EPSI sequence can be applied to more sophisticated murine disease and treatment models. The simple modifications presented in this work, which permit absorptive-mode detection, are directly translatable to human clinical imaging and generate improved absorptive-mode spectra without the need for refocusing pulses.