OBJECTIVETo study the value of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) with two-dimensional (2D) chemical-shift imaging (CSI) in evaluating brain gliomas.

METHODSThirty-six patients with gliomas received examinations with 2D-CSI. The VOI of MRS included the tumor, peritumoral edematous and nonedematous areas, and the contralateral normal tissue. The changes of the metabolites in different areas were determined using 2D-CSI (1)H-MRS with SE sequence and the metabolite ratios were calculated.

RESULTSSignificant differences were found in the ratios of NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr and NAA/Cho between low-grade gliomas and contralateral normal brain tissue, and between high-grade gliomas and the contralateral normal tissue (P<0.01). The low-grade gliomas and high-grade gliomas differed significantly in the ratios of NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr and NAA/Cho (P<0.05). These ratios also showed significant differences between peritumoral edematous area and the glioma tissue, between the peritumoral edematous area and contralateral normal brain tissue (P<0.05), and between the peritumoral nonedematous area and the glioma tissue (P<0.05). Between the peritumoral nonedematous area and contralateral normal brain tissue, NAA/Cr and NAA/Cho ratios were significantly different (P<0.05) but the Cho/Cr ratio was similar (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSMRS with 2D-CSI can provide precise and effective evidences with high time resolution for glioma grading, assessment of peritumoral involvement and glioma therapies.