Magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a fantastically flexible, quantitative and non-invasive way to study the complex biochemistry of the human brain. However, MRS is renowned as a difficult technique to master. Researchers who want to use MRS may find themselves unable to call upon much advice and support, even from experienced scanner operators, radiologists and technicians. This book aims to close this gap, by providing an accessible description of the principles of acquiring MRS and how to successfully analyse MRS data. This is crucial for choosing acquisition parameters, designing and performing appropriate experiments, and correctly interpreting the results.

The text covers the fundamentals of what MRS is, the choices that go into selecting an acquisition approach, and how to analyse MRS data. Later chapters describe in detail how to plan, pilot, and acquire high quality data. Illustrated examples show common artefacts and how to mitigate them by performing careful scanner calibration. This is all supplemented with online datasets and examples to enable the reader to obtain hands-on experience working with real data. The book provides a practical and approachable introduction for those new to the MRS field.

As it does not require any background knowledge beyond basic mathematics and physics, this primer is essential reading for anyone wanting to work with MRS in neuroimaging or grasp the results coming from this highly flexible non-invasive imaging modality.

The Oxford Neuroimaging Primers are short texts aimed at new researchers or advanced undergraduates from the biological, medical or physical sciences. Written to provide a stand-alone introduction to magnetic resonance spectroscopy, this primer also works with other texts in the Oxford Neuroimaging Primers series to provide a comprehensive overview of the increasingly influential field of neuroimaging.