1D-spectral editing and 2D multispectral in vivo 1H-MRS and 1H-MRSI - Methods and applications

•Spectral editing achieves separation of overlapping J-coupled resonances.•1D spectral editing, such as J-difference editing, and multiple quantum coherence filtering.•2D NMR spectroscopy, such as correlation spectroscopy and J-resolved NMR.•Application to neurotransmitters, antioxidants, onco-markers, metabolic processes.

This article reviews the methodological aspects of detecting low-abundant J-coupled metabolites via 1D spectral editing techniques and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods applied in vivo, in humans, with a focus on the brain. A brief explanation of the basics of J-evolution will be followed by an introduction to 1D spectral editing techniques (e.g., J-difference editing, multiple quantum coherence filtering) and 2D-NMR methods (e.g., correlation spectroscopy, J-resolved spectroscopy). Established and recently developed methods will be discussed and the most commonly edited J-coupled metabolites (e.g., neurotransmitters, antioxidants, onco-markers, and markers for metabolic processes) will be briefly summarized along with their most important applications in neuroscience and clinical diagnosis.