BACKGROUND: Pilocytic astrocytomas (PA) are common childhood brain tumours whose management and prognosis vary widely depending on location. (1)H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) measures biochemistry in vivo and shows promise for characterising brain tumours and aiding management. METHODS: Single voxel MRS (1.5 Tesla, TE 30 ms, TR 1500 ms) was performed on 27 children with PAs. Cases were designated 'progressors' if tumour progression led to their clinical management plan being altered. RESULTS: Prior to treatment, supratentorial tumours had significantly higher myo-inositol (p<0.01, t-test) and glutamate plus glutamine (p=0.02, t-test) than cerebellar tumours. Optic pathway or thalamic tumours that progressed had a significantly (p=0.04, t-test) lower myo-inositol at initial MRS than those with stable disease. Myo-inositol levels decreased significantly in progressors between the initial and subsequent MRS (p=0.03, paired t-test). Changes in myo-inositol occurred before clinical and radiological progression. CONCLUSIONS: MRS identifies differences with anatomical location in PAs and yields potential non-invasive biomarkers of prognosis.
BACKGROUND: Pilocytic astrocytomas (PA) are common childhood brain tumours whose management and prognosis vary widely depending on location. (1)H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) measures biochemistry in vivo and shows promise for characterising brain tumours and aiding management. METHODS: Single voxel MRS (1.5 Tesla, TE 30 ms, TR 1500 ms) was performed on 27 children with PAs. Cases were designated 'progressors' if tumour progression led to their clinical management plan being altered. RESULTS: Prior to treatment, supratentorial tumours had significantly higher myo-inositol (p<0.01, t-test) and glutamate plus glutamine (p=0.02, t-test) than cerebellar tumours. Optic pathway or thalamic tumours that progressed had a significantly (p=0.04, t-test) lower myo-inositol at initial MRS than those with stable disease. Myo-inositol levels decreased significantly in progressors between the initial and subsequent MRS (p=0.03, paired t-test). Changes in myo-inositol occurred before clinical and radiological progression. CONCLUSIONS: MRS identifies differences with anatomical location in PAs and yields potential non-invasive biomarkers of prognosis.
Authors: Kiaran P McGee; Ken-Pin Hwang; Daniel C Sullivan; John Kurhanewicz; Yanle Hu; Jihong Wang; Wen Li; Josef Debbins; Eric Paulson; Jeffrey R Olsen; Chia-Ho Hua; Lizette Warner; Daniel Ma; Eduardo Moros; Neelam Tyagi; Caroline Chung Journal: Med Phys Date: 2021-05-20 Impact factor: 4.071
Authors: Dominic Carlin; Ben Babourina-Brooks; Theodoros N Arvanitis; Martin Wilson; Andrew C Peet Journal: MAGMA Date: 2018-11-20 Impact factor: 2.310
Authors: Simrandip K Gill; Martin Wilson; Nigel P Davies; Lesley MacPherson; Martin English; Theodoros N Arvanitis; Andrew C Peet Journal: Neuro Oncol Date: 2013-12-04 Impact factor: 12.300