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Transverse Relaxation Time Constant of Cystathionine in Human Glioma at 3 T
Dinesh K Deelchand1, Francesca Branzoli2, Jamie D Walls3
1Department of Radiology, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
Purpose:
Cystathionine (Cth) has emerged as a promising biomarker for identifying 1p/19q codeleted gliomas. However, little is known about the T2 relaxation time constant of Cth in gliomas. The aim of this study was to measure the T2 of Cth in vivo in glioma and compare it to the T2s of other metabolites at 3 T.
Methods:
Ten participants with glioma were scanned at 3 T. Single-voxel proton PRESS spectra were acquired at four echo-times to determine the T2 relaxation time constants of Cth, N-acetylaspartate, scyllo-inositol, total creatine, and total choline. Processed spectra were analyzed using LCModel, and the results were fitted using a mono-exponential function to estimate the T2 relaxation time constants. T2 of Cth was also measured using high-resolution NMR.
Results:
The T2 of Cth varied across participants (42-128 ms, with a mean and standard deviation of 75 ± 24 ms). Additionally, T2 relaxation time constants of Cth were shorter than those of singlets measured in glioma in the same participants. Distinct differences in T2 between the CH and CH2 proton groups in Cth were also observed both in vitro and in vivo.
Conclusion:
Knowledge of the T2 of Cth should improve its quantification and may help increase understanding of the intracellular environment in glioma cells, potentially providing insights into tumor metabolism in future studies.
