Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2013 May-Jun;14(3):477-86.
doi: 10.3348/kjr.2013.14.3.477. Epub 2013 May 2.

Application of 31P MR spectroscopy to the brain tumors

Dong-Ho Ha  1 , Sunseob Choi, Jong Young Oh, Seong Kuk Yoon, Myong Jin Kang, Ki-Uk Kim
Affiliations

Application of 31P MR spectroscopy to the brain tumors

Dong-Ho Ha et al. Korean J Radiol. 2013 May-Jun.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the clinical feasibility and obtain useful parameters of (31)P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) study for making the differential diagnosis of brain tumors.

Materials and methods: Twenty-eight patients with brain tumorous lesions (22 cases of brain tumor and 6 cases of abscess) and 11 normal volunteers were included. The patients were classified into the astrocytoma group, lymphoma group, metastasis group and the abscess group. We obtained the intracellular pH and the metabolite ratios of phosphomonoesters/phosophodiesters (PME/PDE), PME/inorganic phosphate (Pi), PDE/Pi, PME/adenosine triphosphate (ATP), PDE/ATP, PME/phosphocreatine (PCr), PDE/PCr, PCr/ATP, PCr/Pi, and ATP/Pi, and evaluated the statistical significances.

Results: The brain tumors had a tendency of alkalization (pH = 7.28 ± 0.27, p = 0.090), especially the pH of the lymphoma was significantly increased (pH = 7.45 ± 0.32, p = 0.013). The brain tumor group showed increased PME/PDE ratio compared with that in the normal control group (p = 0.012). The ratios of PME/PDE, PDE/Pi, PME/PCr and PDE/PCr showed statistically significant differences between each brain lesion groups (p < 0.05). The astrocytoma showed an increased PME/PDE and PME/PCr ratio. The ratios of PDE/Pi, PME/PCr, and PDE/PCr in lymphoma group were lower than those in the control group and astrocytoma group. The metastasis group showed an increased PME/PDE ratio, compared with that in the normal control group.

Conclusion: We have obtained the clinically applicable (31)P MRS, and the pH, PME/PDE, PDE/Pi, PME/PCr, and PDE/PCr ratios are helpful for differentiating among the different types of brain tumors.

Keywords: Brain; MRS; Magnetic resonance imaging; Tumor.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow chart of patient selection. On basis of histopathologic results, patients were classified into 22 cases of brain tumor and 6 cases of abscess. Brain tumors were subdivided into 13 cases of astrocytoma group, 4 cases of lymphoma group, and 5 cases of metastasis group. MRS = magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Measuring pH in lesion. Intracelluar pH of brain lesions is calculated by using measured δ Pi (arrow), which is chemical shift, from PCr to Pi. PME = phosphomonoester, PDE = phosphodiester, PCr = phosphocreatine, ATP = adenosine triphosphate, Pi = inorganic phosphate
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
44-year-old man with high grade astrocytoma of brain. A. Localizer image for 31P MRS shows huge mass in right frontal lobe without cyst or hemorrhage. B. 31P MRS shows high level of PME (303), low level of Pi (90) and relatively low level of PDE (433). Calculated PME/PDE ratio (0.70) is higher than its mean value in control group (0.47). PME = phosphomonoester, PDE = phosphodiester, PCr = phosphocreatine, MRS = magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Pi = inorganic phosphate
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
53-year-old man with large B cell lymphoma. A. Localizer image for 31P MRS shows large mass with marked surrounding edema in left basal ganglia area. B. 31P MRS shows high level of PME (305), high level of PCr (1222) and low level of PDE (373). Calculated ratio shows high PME/PDE ratio (0.81). Calculated PDE/Pi ratio (2.76) is lower than its mean value of control group (3.44) and astrocytoma group (3.27). Calculated PDE/PCr ratio (0.31) is also lower than that of astrocytoma group (0.77). PME = phosphomonoester, PDE = phosphodiester, PCr = phosphocreatine, MRS = magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Pi = inorganic phosphate
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
73-year-old man with brain abscess. A. FID signal for 31P MRS was obtained at left basal ganglia mass lesion. B. Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery image shows heterogeneous signal intensity mass with central low signal intensity in left basal ganglia. C. 31P MRS shows low level of PME (284), low level of PCr (584) and relatively high level of PDE (486). Calculated ratio of PME/PDE (0.58) is lower than its mean value of metastasis group (0.68). FID = free induction decay, PME = phosphomonoester, PDE = phosphodiester, PCr = phosphocreatine, MRS = magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Pi = inorganic phosphate
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Stubbs M, Rodrigues LM, Gusterson BA, Griffiths JR. Monitoring tumor growth and regression by 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Adv Enzyme Regul. 1990;30:217–230. - PubMed
    1. Podo F, Canevari S, Canese R, Pisanu ME, Ricci A, Iorio E. MR evaluation of response to targeted treatment in cancer cells. NMR Biomed. 2011;24:648–672. - PubMed
    1. Park JM, Park JH. Human in-vivo 31P MR spectroscopy of benign and malignant breast tumors. Korean J Radiol. 2001;2:80–86. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Cohen JS. Phospholipid and energy metabolism of cancer cells monitored by 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy: possible clinical significance. Mayo Clin Proc. 1988;63:1199–1207. - PubMed
    1. Lehnhardt FG, Röhn G, Ernestus RI, Grüne M, Hoehn M. 1H- and (31)P-MR spectroscopy of primary and recurrent human brain tumors in vitro: malignancy-characteristic profiles of water soluble and lipophilic spectral components. NMR Biomed. 2001;14:307–317. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms