Quantitation of phosphate metabolites in human leg in vivo

Slice-selective 31P MR spectra were recorded from human legs with a pulse program which has only a 1.5-ms delay between excitation and acquisition. The volume of the slice was calculated from its thickness and cross-sectional area measured with the aid of a computer program. A phosphate reference standard spectrum was recorded from the same interplanar location as that of the human leg slice. Since signal integral is proportional to the phosphate concentration and to the volume of the slice, metabolite concentrations in the selected slice could be quantitated.