Proton magnetic resonance spectral patterns of metastasizing and nonmetastasizing human colon cancers

The spectral features of surgically staged metastasizing (ie, modified Duke's stages C and D) and nonmetastasizing (ie, modified Duke's stages A and B1-2) human colon cancers were studied using 60-MHz continuous wave and 200-MHz pulse Fourier transform proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Twenty-one human colon cancers (four nonmetastasizing and 17 metastasizing tumors) collectively contained 24 spectral peaks. A peak at 6.7 to 6.87 parts per million cycles (ppm) was found in three nonmetastasizing tumors but only one metastasizing tumor; the mean area at this peak location was significantly higher in the nonmetastasizing tumors. Mean peak areas at 1.4 to 1.47 ppm, 2.0 to 2.33 ppm, and 8.3 to 8.6 ppm were significantly higher in metastasizing tumors; however, these peaks were observed with only marginally greater frequency in metastasizing vs nonmetastasizing tumors: seven of 17 vs zero of four, 11 of 17 vs one of four, and eight of 17 vs zero of four tumors, respectively. This study suggests that magnetic resonance spectral features may aid in staging human colon cancers and could be used to enhance magnetic resonance imaging of these lesions.