Clinical Application of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Diagnosis of Intracranial Mass Lesions

Conventional MR imaging provides highly detailed anatomic information with unrivalled soft tissue contrast making it the mainstay in the diagnosis of suspected brain lesions. Despite this, MRI alone at times cannot answer the diagnostic questions in quite a few patients. Proton MR Spectroscopy (H-MRS) provides information on the metabolic composition within an area under interrogation. By comparing the relative concentrations of specific metabolites, the neuroradiologist can deduce critical information regarding neuronal cell density and integrity, cell membrane turnover, metabolic fuel, and possible necrosis in the region of interest. This provides a biochemical picture of the underlying pathology and thus aids in the diagnosis.

This was a cross-sectional comparative study.

Of the 63 patients examined by MRI and MRS for intracranial mass lesions, the radiologists were able to offer a single imaging diagnosis based on MRI alone in only 15 patients (23.8%) while when MRI imaging was combined with MR spectroscopy, a single imaging diagnosis was offered in 47 patients (74.6%). This was an overall statistically significant improvement.

MRS aided the radiologist in offering a single diagnosis in high versus low-grade gliomas, high-grade gliomas versus tuberculomas, and recurrent tumours versus radiation necrosis.