Analyses of traumatic brain injury using ~1H MRS

Objective To evaluate clinical application of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) in the assessment of traumatic brain injury(TBI) and anticipation of the prognosis.Methods 25 patients with TBI and 10 volunteers were studied with 1H MRS. The MRS values including N- acetylasparate(NAA), Choline(Cho), Creatine(Cr), Lactate(Lac), NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho, and Cho/Cr of the study group and control group, as well as the values obtained at the injured side of the brain and the side untouched, were noted and comparatively studied with Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS) and Glasgow Outcome Scale(GOS).Result Compared with the control group, NAA/Cho, NAA/Cr in study group apparently decreased; while Cho/Cr remarkably increased. The same difference was revealed between involved region of the brain and the homologous location in the contra- lateral normal- appearing white matter(NAWM) hemisphere. Elevated level of Lac indicated severe injury and poor outcome. MRS values were significantly correlated with GCS scores and GOS scores.Conclusion 1H MRS plays an important role in the in the assessment of traumatic brain injury and anticipation of the clinical outcome.