title: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the diagnostic evaluation of brainstem lesions in Alexander disease.
abstract: Alexander disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, which can present with brainstem lesions with imaging characteristics similar to multifocal low-grade glioma, thus presenting a diagnostic dilemma. The authors report a 6-year-old child presenting with multifocal brainstem lesions subsequently diagnosed to have Alexander disease. In vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy generated a metabolite profile of the lesion allowing differentiation from low-grade glioma. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a powerful tool in the assessment of brainstem lesions and is a useful adjunct to conventional magnetic resonance imaging in the assessment and diagnosis of atypical brain lesions.
authors.affiliation: Birmingham Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Davison
authors.forename: Nigel P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Martin W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: English
authors.forename: Sunny
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Philip
authors.forename: Lesley K R
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: MacPherson
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gissen
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Peet
mesh_terms: D038261:Alexander Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*