Biochemical characterization of human brain and kidney tissues by magnetic resonance spectroscopy

In vivo and in vitro Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy is useful for monitoring changes in intracellular metabolites of human cerebral and renal tissues. Healthy and tumoral tissues of different histologic types have been characterized from a biochemical point of view. In vitro molecular characterization is performed on both the aqueous and lipid extracts of surgically removed tissue biopsies, after in vivo MRS, yielding a full picture of tissue biochemistry. Biochemical markers of healthy brain and kidney and of their relative neoplastic lesions have been disclosed. Moreover, some biochemical features can differentiate neoplasm within the same histological type. Ex vivo MRS also gives molecular information related to necrotic phenomena in glial tumors. MRS finding paralleled histologic data and new knowledge about the molecular base of proliferative neoplastic phenomena can be obtained.