title: The Use of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in the Evaluation of Pediatric Patients With Seizures.
abstract: The objective was to determine if it is useful to routinely add magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the evaluation of seizure in the pediatric patient. Specifically, how often does MRS contribute information to conventional MRI?
  
  
  
  A retrospective search, over a period of 3 years, of patients <18 years of age who underwent both MRI and MRS as part of the evaluation of seizures yielded a total of 233 cases in 216 patients. The medical records were reviewed to determine how many patients carried a diagnosis relevant to seizures. The MRIs and MRSs were reviewed by two neuroradiologists and an MR physicist/spectroscopist who determined by consensus in how many cases MRS contributed information regarding management, diagnosis, or prognosis, in addition to the findings on MRI alone.
  
  
  
  In 100 of 233 cases (43%), MRS contributed information additional to MRI. In 40 cases, MRS contributed information relevant to patient management by prompting an evaluation for an underlying inborn error of metabolism. MRS contributed information relevant to diagnosis in 24 of 100 cases (e.g., neoplasm versus dysplasia). MRS contributed information relevant to prognosis in 36 cases (e.g., hypoxic-ischemic injury). MRS added more information in cases where the patients had a diagnosis relevant to seizure before imaging. Interestingly, in 25 cases where the MRI was normal, MRS was found to be abnormal, which prompted evaluation for an inborn error of metabolism.
  
  
  
  These results suggest that MRS is a useful evaluation tool in addition to MRI for children undergoing imaging for the evaluation of seizures.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Sandra P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Rincon
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Marisa B K
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Blitstein
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: R Gilberto
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: González
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Ronald L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Thibert
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address: ratai@nmr.mgh.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Eva-Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Ratai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*
keywords: MR spectroscopy; epilepsy; pediatric; seizure