Abstract :
Objective: Phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (31P-MRSI) provides information about the energy metabolism of brain tumors noninvasively. The aim of this study is to define and assess the z-scores of the in vivo phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging peak ratios of brain tumors at 3T.Materials and Methods: 31P-MRSI data of thirteen brain tumor patients and five healthy volunteers were retrospectively analyzed. z-scores were defined based on the 31P-MRSI peak ratios obtained from the tumor and normal appearing regions of the brain tumor patients and the healthy volunteers. The peak ratios and the z-scores were compared between these three groups.Results: The mean age was 53.2±12.4 years in brain tumor patients, and 34.4±11.6 years in volunteers. In this retrospective study, statistically significantly higher GPC/PCr, GPE/PCr, Pi/PCr, PC/PCr, PE/PCr, γATP/PCr, αATP/PCr, βATP/PCr, (GPE+PE)/PCr, and (GPC+PC)/PCr peak ratios were observed in tumor regions than both normal appearing regions of patients and healthy volunteers. The z-scores calculated based on GPC/PCr, PC/PCr, PE/PCr, β-ATP/PCr, and (GPC+PC)/PCr peak ratios were statistically significantly higher in brain tumor regions than normal appearing regions.Conclusion: As a result of this study, z-scores based on 31P-MRSI peak ratios were defined that might be used as a standardised and objective measure in brain tumor localization, biopsy target definition and followup after treatment
NaturalLanguageKeyword :
phoshporus magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging , brain tumor , z , score , 3 Tesla
