MRS of normal and impaired fetal brain development.
Cerebral maturation in the human fetal brain was investigated by in utero localized proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Spectra were acquired on a clinical MR system operating at 1.5 T. Body phased array coils (four coils) were used in combination with spinal coils (two coils). The size of the nominal volume of interest (VOI) was 4.5 cm(3) (20 mm x 15 mm x 15 mm). The MRS acquisitions were performed using a spin echo sequence at short and long echo times (TE = 30 ms and 135 ms) with a VOI located within the cerebral hemisphere at the level of the centrum semiovale. A significant reduction in myo-inositol and choline and an increase in N-acetylaspartate were observed with progressive age. The normal MR spectroscopy data reported here will help to determine whether brain metabolism is altered, especially when subtle anatomic changes are observed on conventional images. Some examples of impaired fetal brain development studied by MRS are illustrated.
Girard
Nadine
N
Service de Neuroradiologie, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, Hôpital la Timone, Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France. nadine.girard@ap-hm.fr
Fogliarini
Céline
C
Viola
Angèle
A
Confort-Gouny
Sylviane
S
Fur
Yann Le
YL
Viout
Patrick
P
Chapon
Frédérique
F
Levrier
Olivier
O
Cozzone
Patrick
P
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005333:Fetus / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007294:Inositol / Q000378:metabolism; D016014:Linear Models; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D013654:Taurine / Q000378:metabolism; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
D013654:Taurine; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D007294:Inositol; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine; D002794:Choline