Characterization of Brain Tumors using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Abstract

Proton spectroscopy has been recognized as a safe and non-invasive diagnostic method that coupled with MRI techniques, allows for the correlation of anatomical and physiological changes in the metabolic and biochemical processes occurring in a previously determined volume in the brain. The aim of this study was to determine the role of non-invasive technique MRS in characterization of brain tumors. Brain biopsy is invasive method, with many complication may happened during the procedure. Patient needs to be investigated by a noninvasive method with the same accuracy of the biopsy result . This study was a prospective; descriptive study of 200 patients investigated with single voxeL MR spectroscopy protocol Following routine MRI, in the period from july 2014 to july 2017 in royal care hospital in Khartoum. The data (annual incidence, frequencies of BTs based on gender and age, anatomical location, pathologies and geographical distribution) analyzed using EXCEL software which revealed that: : MRS showed excellent diagnostic achievement relative to standard (histology) with accuracy 86.8%BTs increase annually by a factor of 7.2% and predominant among male with 57.1%. The involved anatomical brain sites were midbrain 35%, left brain (30%) and right brain (24%). BTs observed among age groups of 1-10 years old for both gender with increasing similar trend incidence following aging which peaking at 55-65 years old. The common pathologies of brain were atrophy and infarction that represents 13.8% and 7.2% respectively and benign and malignant tumors represented (19.8%) and (34.4%) respectively. The most endemic sectors by BTs were central and Northern of Sudan that represented 45% and 35% respectively, then eastern and southern of Sudan that represented 12% and 8% respectively.MRS added to conventional MRI helps in tissue characterization of intracranial mass lesions, there by leading to an improved diagnosis of focal brain disease.