Magnetic resonance spectroscopy features of normal-appearing white matter in patients with acute brucellosis

Eur J Radiol. 2008 Mar;65(3):417-20. doi: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2007.08.034. Epub 2007 Oct 24.

Abstract

We aimed to evaluate whether the subtle metabolic cerebral changes are present in normal-appearing white matter on conventional MRI, in patients with acute brucellosis, by using MR spectroscopy (MRS). Sixteen patients with acute brucellosis and 13 healthy control subjects were investigated with conventional MRI and single-voxel MRS. Voxels were placed in normal-appearing parietal white matter (NAPWM). N-Acetyl aspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) and choline (Cho)/Cr ratios were calculated. There was no significant difference between the study subjects and the control group in NAA/Cr ratios obtained from NAPWM. However, the Cho/Cr ratios were significantly higher in patients with acute brucellosis compared to controls (p=0.01). MRS revealed metabolic changes in normal-appearing white matter of patients with brucellosis. Brucellosis may cause subtle cerebral alterations, which may only be discernible with MRS. Increased Cho/Cr ratio possibly represents an initial phase of inflammation and/or demyelination process of brucellosis.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aspartic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Aspartic Acid / metabolism
  • Brain Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Brain Diseases / metabolism
  • Brain Diseases / microbiology*
  • Brucellosis / metabolism
  • Brucellosis / pathology*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Choline / metabolism
  • Contrast Media
  • Creatine / metabolism
  • Female
  • Gadolinium DTPA
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / methods*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Statistics, Nonparametric

Substances

  • Contrast Media
  • Aspartic Acid
  • N-acetylaspartate
  • Gadolinium DTPA
  • Creatine
  • Choline