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Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in brain white matter disorders

  • Workshop “New MR Techniques In Clinical Neurology”
  • Published:
The Italian Journal of Neurological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The advent of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has revolutionized the clinical approach to the evaluation of brain white matter disorders and has contributed significantly to expansion of the concept of these diseases. MRI is very sensitive at detecting white matter lesions, but conventional T1 and T2-weighted images do not provide specific pathological information about the lesions, and correlation between MRI lesion load and clinical disability is often weak. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy can provide chemical-pathological information of a given tissue invivo. The use of this MR technique in brain white matter disorders has shown to improve diagnostic classification and to provide surrogate measures useful for monitoring disease evolution and response to therapeutic intervention.

Sommario

L'avvento della risonanza magnetica per immagini ha rivoluzionato l'approccio clinico verso le patologie della sostanza bianca cerebrale ed ha fortemente contribuito all'evolversi del concetto di tali malattie. Tuttavia, malgrado la risonanza magnetica per immagini convenzionale sia ottimale per localizzare ed identificare le lesioni cerebrali, essa ha mostrato forti limiti nel fornire specifiche informazioni circa tali lesioni. La risonanza magnetica spettroscopica à stata di recente utilizzata in pazienti affetti dalle più diverse malattie coinvolgenti primariamente la sostanza bianca cerebrale dimostrandosi in grado di fornire nuove ed importanti informazioni delle lesioni cerebrali studiate. Tali informazioni si sono rivelate utili per una migliore diagnosi di tali patologie così come per un monitoraggio della loro evoluzione e della loro risposta ad interventi terapeutici.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurometabolic Unit, Institute of Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, Viale Bracci 2, 53100, Siena, Italy

    Stefano N. De & Federico A.

  2. Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    Stefano N. De & Arnold D. L.

Authors
  1. Stefano N. De
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  2. Federico A.
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  3. Arnold D. L.
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Additional information

The study was supported in part by grants from the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada and from the Progetto Sclerosi Multipla of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.

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De Stefano, N., Federico, A. & Arnold, D.L. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in brain white matter disorders. Ital J Neuro Sci 18, 331–339 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02048236

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