title: [The present and the future of magnetic resonance spectroscopy in pediatric neurology].
abstract: Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) permits to verify the biochemical activity of the examined tissues "in vivo". It is particularly useful in Paediatric Neurology: the first investigation were on asphyctic neonatal brains and on myopathic muscles, while metabolic encephalopathies are now ready to be studied. Thanks to this biochemical tool, the pools included in the spectra obtained by means of the Resonance phenomenon, let one know the effective quantity of some atomic compounds (particularly 31 P and H 1) in the examined tissues. This new device permits to determine "in vivo", for example, the tissue, pH and energy, and, moreover, using special techniques, to quantify selected H 1 metabolites (i.e., carnitine and GABA). The Authors reviews all the Paediatric Neurology Researches published in the international literature and proposes some new ones, focusing the prognostic utility of the MRS. Because the lack of experience in this field the technique, at the moment, must be used as a routine investigation, but only within selected research protocols.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000175:diagnosis; D001928:Brain Diseases, Metabolic / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D011379:Prognosis
vernacular_title: Presente e futuro della spettroscopia a risonanza magnetica in neurologia pediatrica.