Alanine peak in central neurocytomas on proton MR spectroscopy.
BACKGROUND
We present three consecutive patients with central neurocytoma in whom proton MRS demonstrated the presence of alanine.


METHODS
Three patients in the age range 24 to 30 years underwent MRI and proton MRS using a 1.5-T system. MRS was performed with the multivoxel PRESS sequence. All three patients underwent surgery and the diagnosis of central neurocytoma was established by histopathological examination and immunostaining.


RESULTS
With an echo time of 135 ms glycine, high choline, small NAA and alanine were observed in all three patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Alanine may be observed in central neurocytomas as it is in meningiomas. Other spectral peaks such as those for glycine and NAA should help to identify this tumor correctly.
Krishnamoorthy
T
T
Department of Imaging Sciences and Interventional Radiology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, 695011, India. b_krish1@yahoo.co.in
Radhakrishnan
V V
VV
Thomas
B
B
Jeyadevan
E R
ER
Menon
G
G
Nair
Suresh
S
D000328:Adult; D000409:Alanine / Q000378:metabolism*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D018306:Neurocytoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism*
D000409:Alanine