MRS of oligodendroglial tumors: correlation with histopathology and genetic subtypes.
BACKGROUND
Oligodendroglial neoplasms with combined loss of chromosomes 1p and 19q may have a good prognosis and respond to procarbazine-lomustine (CCNU)-vincristine (PCV) chemotherapy.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether single voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy (SV-MRS) obtained through routine clinical practice distinguishes between histopathologic and genetic subtypes of oligodendroglial tumors.


METHODS
Forty-eight patients with oligodendroglial tumors (19 oligodendrogliomas and 29 oligoastrocytomas) underwent molecular genetic analysis to determine allelic imbalance in chromosomes 1p36 and 19q13. SV-MRS was obtained pretherapy to determine tumor metabolite ratios.


RESULTS
Grade III oligodendroglial tumors had higher choline (Mann-Whitney; p = 0.002), methyl lipid (Mann-Whitney; p = 0.002), and combined methylene lipid and lactate ratios (Mann-Whitney; p < 0.001) than grade II tumors. Lactate did not distinguish between tumor types (Fisher exact test; p = 0.342) or grade (Fisher exact test; p = 0.452). There were no significant associations when tumors were analyzed according to histopathology or genetic subtypes.


CONCLUSIONS
As a noninvasive diagnostic tool used in routine clinical practice, SV-MRS has the potential benefit of determining oligodendroglial tumor grade but not subtypes classified by histopathology or molecular genetics. MRS may be useful for determining the timing of therapy but is unlikely to predict chemosensitivity.
Department of Neurosurgery, The Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Liverpool, UK. michael.jenkinson@liv.ac.uk
M D
MD
Jenkinson
T S
TS
Smith
K
K
Joyce
D
D
Fildes
D G
DG
du Plessis
P C
PC
Warnke
C
C
Walker
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D022981:Allelic Imbalance / Q000235:genetics; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D002878:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D002888:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 19 / Q000235:genetics*; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics; D005820:Genetic Testing; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009837:Oligodendroglioma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
D008055:Lipids; D019344:Lactic Acid; D002794:Choline