title: Proton MR spectroscopy of the brain in patients treated with TIPS.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the utility of proton MR spectroscopy (MRS) for the early detection of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunting (TIPS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Six patients, who underwent TIPS for treatment of portal hypertension, were examined by MRS I week before and 1 week after TIPS. They were simultaneously clinically examined for number connection test, blood NH3 level, liver function test and the Fischer ratio.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three of 6 patients showed overt HE 1 to 5 weeks after TIPS and the other 3 patients did not show overt HE. The overt HE group showed the larger ratio of the amounts of glutamine and glutamate/myo-inositol (Glx/MI) than that of non-overt HE group (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Glx/MI ratio estimated by MRS was useful for early detection of HE after TIPS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamuro
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaminou
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Higashida
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D005260:Female; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D005973:Glutamine / Q000032:analysis; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000601:surgery; D007294:Inositol / Q000032:analysis; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019168:Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D005973:Glutamine; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D007294:Inositol