Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: Novel Non-invasive Technique for Diagnosing Brain Tumors

To determine the accuracy of MR Spectroscopy (MRS) in diagnosing brain tumors.

Analytical study.

Neurosurgery Department, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from November 2010 to April 2011.

Fifty cases with brain tumors, who presented to Neurosurgery Department of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, during the study period, were included in the study. All patients underwent MRS and later brain. Those with recurrent disease were excluded. Data was collected with the help of proforma. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 16. Comparison of MRS findings and biopsy diagnosis was done. Sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values (NPV and PPV) were determined keeping histopathology as the gold standard.

Out of the 50 patients, there were 20 (40%) females and 30 (60%) males with mean age of 37 ± 13.24 years. The commonest presenting complaint was headache (76%) followed by weakness (62%) and seizures (30%). MRI had diagnosed 27 (51%) as neoplastic lesion. Spectroscopy reported 44 (88%) as neoplasms, while on histopathology, 42 (84%) were confirmed to have neoplasm. The accuracy of MRS was 94%, with 97.6% sensitivity, 71.42% specificity, 95.45% PPV and 83.3% NPV.

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy can readily help in differentiating neoplasm from non-neoplastic brain tumors, thus an invasive brain biopsy procedure can be avoided.