Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Magnetic resonance spectroscopyin vivo: applications in neurological disorders

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

Abstract

Magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy (MRS) is performed using the same magnets and computers as conventional MR imaging (MRI), However, unlike conventional MRI, which provides structural information, MRS provides chemical information that represents pathologically specific measures useful for diagnosis and monitoring of patients affected by neurological disorders. This review will focus on selected clinical applications of MRS that have been demonstrated to have clinical use. These include phosphorus MRS of muscle to diagnose metabolic muscle disease, and proton MRS of brain to lateralize temporal lobe epilepsy, to classify brain tumors, and to evaluate the natural history and pathology of multiple sclerosis.

Sommario

La risonanza magnetica spettroscopica utilizza lo stesso magnete e stessi computers utilizzati dalla risonanza magnetica per immagine convenzionale ma, al contrario di quest'ultima, fornisce specifiche informazioni riguardo le condizioni chimicopatologiche del tessuto studiato. Tali informazioni costituiscono importanti indici di patologia che possono essere utili nella diagnosi e monitoraggio di pazienti affetti da malattie neurologiche. Nel nostro articolo, focalizzeremo l'attenzione sulle applicazioni di tale tecnica che hanno dimostrato di avere maggiore utilizzo clinico. Queste includono la risonanza magnetica spettroscopica del fosforo, usata nella diagnosi di varie malattie muscolari, e quella del protone, usata per la evidenziazione del focus epilettogeno nell'epilessia temporale, per classificare tumori cerebrali, per effettuare studi sulla storia naturale della sclerosi multipla.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Argov Z, De Stefano N, Arnold DL.ADP recovery after a brief ischemic exercise in normal and diseased human muscle. A 31 P MRS study. NMR Biomed., 1996; 9: 165–172.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Argov Z, De Stefano N, Taivassalo T, Sripathi A, Karpati G, Arnold DL.Abnormal oxidative matabolism in exercise intolerance of undetermined origin. Neuromuscul Disord, 1997; 7: 99–104.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Arnold DL, Matthews PM, Radda GK.Metabolic recovery after exercise and the assessment of mitochondrial function in vivo in human skeletal muscle by means of 31 P NMR. Magn. Reson. Med., 1984; 1: 307–315.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Arnold DL, Taylor DJ, Radda GK.Investigation of human mitochondrial myopathies by phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Ann. Neurol., 1985; 18: 189–196.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Arnold DL, Matthews PM, Francis G, Antel J.Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of human brain in vivo in the evaluation of multiple sclerosis: assessment of the load of disease. Magn. Reson. Med., 1990; 14: 154–159.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Arnold DL, Matthews PM, Francis GS, O'Connor J, Antel JP.Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging for Metabolic Characterization of Demyelinating Plaques. Ann. Neurol., 1992; 31: 235–241.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Arnold DL, Matthews PM, De Stefano N.MRI and proton MRS in the evaluation of multiple sclerosis. In: Bachelard. eds. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging in neurochemistry. New York: Plenum Press. 1997; 8: 267–288.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Arnold DL, Matthews PM.Clinical applications of brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In: IR Young, C Charles. eds. MR Spectroscopy: Clinical Applications and Techniques. London: Martin Dunitz. 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Cendes F, Andermann F, Preul MC, Arnold DL.Lateralization of temporal lobe epilepsy based on regional metabolic abnormalities in proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic images. Ann. Neurol., 1994; 35: 211–216.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Cendes F, Andermann F, Dubeau F, Arnold DL.Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic images and MRI volumetric studies for lateralization of temporal lobe epilepsy. Magn. Reson. Imaging, 1995a; 13: 1187–1191.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Cendes F, Andermann F, Silver K, Arnold DL.Imaging of axonal damage in vivo in Rasmussen's syndrome. Brain, 1995b; 118: 753–758.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Cendes F, Stanley JA, Dubeau F, Andermann F, Arnold DL.Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging for discrimination of absence and complex partial seizures. Ann. Neurol., 1997; 41: 74–81.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Davie CA, Hawkins CP, Barker GJ, et al.Serial proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in acute multiple sclerosis lesions. Brain, 1994; 117: 49–58.

    Google Scholar 

  14. De Stefano N, Genge A, Karpati G, Matthews PM, Arnold DL.Improvement of cerebral metabolism in patients with mitochondrial disorders by Dichloroacetate (DCA) treatment. Neurology, 1995; 45: 1193–1198.

    Google Scholar 

  15. De Stefano N, Matthews PM, Antel JP, Preul M, Francis G, Arnold DL.Chemical-pathology of acute demyelinating lesion and its correlation with disability. Ann. Neurol., 1995; 38: 901–909.

    Google Scholar 

  16. De Stefano N, Argov Z, Matthews PM, Karpati G, Arnold DL.Impairement of mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in McArdle's disease. Muscle & Nerve, 1996; 19: 764–769.

    Google Scholar 

  17. De Stefano N, Matthews PM, Narayanan S, Francis GS, Antel JP, Arnold DL.Axonal dysfunction and disability in a relapse of multiple sclerosis: longitudinal study of a patient. Neurology, 1997; 49 (4): 1138–1141.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. De Stefano N, Preul M, Caramanos Z, Francis GS, Andel JP, Arnold DL.Differentiation between brain tumors and giant demyelinating lesions in vivo using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging. Neurology, 1997b; 48: A360-A361.

    Google Scholar 

  19. De Stefano N, Matthews PM, Arnold DL.Reversible decreases in N-acetylaspartate following acute brain injury. Mag Res Med, 1995; 34: 721–727.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Fu L, Matthews PM, De Stefano N, et al.Imaging axonal damage of normal appearing white matter in multiple sclerosis. Brain, 1998; In Press.

  21. Husted CA, Goodin DS, Hugg JW, et al.Biochemical alterations in multiple sclerosis lesions and normal-appearing white matter detected by in vivo 31 P and 1H spectroscopic imaging. Ann. Neurol., 1994; 36: 157–165.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Jackson GD, Connelly A, Duncan JS, Grunewald RA, Gadian DG.Detection of hippocampal pathology in intractable partial epilepsy: increased sensitivity with quantitative magnetic resonance T 2 relaxometry. Neurology, 1993; 43: 1793–1799.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Jackson GD, Kuzniecki RI, Cascino GD.Hippocampal sclerosis without detectable hippocampal atrophy. Neurology, 1994; 44: 42–46.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kwo-On-Yuen PF, Newmark RD, Budinger TF, Kaye JA, Ball MJ, Jagust WJ.Brain N-acetyl-L-aspartic acid in Alzheimer's disease: a proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study. Brain Res., 1994; 667: 167–174.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Losseff NA, Wang L, Lai HM, et al.Progressive cerebral atrophy in multiple sclerosis. A serial MRI study. Brain, 1996; 119: 2009–2019.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Losseff NA, Webb SL, O'Riordan JI, et al.Spinal cord atrophy and disability in multiple sclerosis. A new reproducible and sensitive MRI method with potential to monitor disease progression. Brain, 1996; 119: 701–708.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Matthews PM, Andermann F, Arnold DL.A proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study of focal epilepsy in humans. Neurology, 1990; 40: 985–989.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Matthews PM, Allaire C, Shoubridge EA, Karpati G, Carpenter S, Arnold DL. In vivomuscle magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the clinical investigation of mitochondrial disease. Neurology, 1991; 41: 114–120.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Matthews PM, Francis G, Antel J, Arnold DL.Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy for metabolic characterization of plaques in multiple sclerosis [published erratum appears in Neurology 1991 Nov;41(11);1828]. Neurology, 1991; 41: 1251–1256.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Matthews PM, Andermann F, Silver K, Karpati G, Arnold DL.Proton MR spectroscopic characterization of differences in regional brain metabolic abnormalities in mitochondrial encephalomyopathies. Neurology, 1993; 43: 2484–2490.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. McDonald WI.Rachelle Fishman-Matthew Moore Lecture. The pathological and clinical dynamics of multiple sclerosis. [Review]. J. Neuropathol Exp. Neurol., 1994; 53: 338–343.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Menon DK, Ainsworth JG, Cox IJ, et al.Proton MR spectroscopy of the brain in AIDS dementia complex. J. Comput. Assist. Tomogr., 1992; 16: 538–542.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Miller DH, Albert PS, Barkhof F, et al.Guidelines for the use of magnetic resonance techniques in monitoring the treatment of multiple sclerosis. US National MS Society Task Force. Ann. Neurol., 1996; 39: 6–16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Moffett JR, Namboodiri MAA, Cangro CB, Neale JH.Immunohistochemical localization of N-acetylaspartate in rat brain. Neuroreport, 1991; 2: 131–134.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Narayanan S, Fu L, Pioro E, et al.Imaging of axonal damage in multiple sclerosis: spatial distribution of magnetic resonance imaging lesions. Ann. Neurol., 1997; 41: 385–391.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Paty DW, Li DK, Oger JJ, et al.Magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of clinical trials in multiple sclerosis. Ann. Neurol., 1994; 36 Suppl: S95-S96.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Pioro EP, Antel JP, Cashman NR, Arnold DL.Detection of cortical neuronal loss in motor neuron disease by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging in vivo. Neurology, 1994; 44: 1933–1938.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Preul M, Caramanos Z, Collins DL, et al.Accurate, noninvasive diagnosis of human brain tumor by using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Nat. Med., 1996; 2: 323–325.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Radda GK, Bore PJ, Rajagopalan B.Clinical aspects of 31P NMR spectroscopy. Br. Med. J., 1984; 40: 155–159.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Ross B, Kreis R, Ernst T.Clinical tools for the 90s: magnetic resonance spectroscopy and metabolite imaging. [Review]. Eur. J. Radiol., 1992; 14: 128–140.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Ross BD, Radda GK, Gadian DG, Rocker G, Esiri M, Falconer-Smith J.Examination of a case of suspected McArdle's syndrome by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance. N. Engl. J. Med., 1981; 304: 1338–1342.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Simmons ML, Frondoza CG, Coyle JT.Immunocytochemical localization of N-acetyl-aspartate with monoclonal antibodies. Neuroscience, 1991; 45: 37–45.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Taivassalo T, Matthews PM, De Stefano N, et al.Combined aerobic training and dichloroacetate improve exercise capacity and indices of aerobic metabolism in muscle cytochrome oxidase deficiency. Neurology, 1996; 47: 529–534.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Taylor DJ, Bore PJ, Styles P, Gadian DG, Radda GK.Bioenergetics of intact human muscle. A 31P nuclear magnetic resonance study. Mol Biol Med, 1983; 1: 77–94.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Tedeschi G, Schiffmann R, Barton NW, et al.Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging in childhood ataxia with diffuse central nervous system hypomyelination. Neurology, 1995; 45: 1526–1532.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Tsai GC, Coyle JT.N-Acetylaspartate in neuropsychiatric disorders [Review]. Progr Neurobiol, 1995; 46: 531–540.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Wolinsky JS, Narayanan PA, Fenstermacher MJ.Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in multiple sclerosis. Neurology, 1990; 40: 1764–1769.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Neurological Sciences, Neurometabolic Unit, University of Siena, Italy

    Stefano N. De

  2. Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, 3801 University Street, H3A 2B4, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    Arnold D. L. & Stefano N. De

Authors
  1. Arnold D. L.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Stefano N. De
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Arnold, D.L., De Stefano, N. Magnetic resonance spectroscopyin vivo: applications in neurological disorders. Ital J Neuro Sci 18, 321–329 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02048235

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02048235

Key Words

Search

Navigation