Neuroimaging of Cerebral Metabolism in Severe Diffuse Brain Injury in Chronic Stage: Part 2. MR Spectroscopy and Spectroscopic Imaging

We have developed the 31P- and 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) and applied them to severe diffuse brain injury(SDBI) in the chronic stage. The three patients are all young male and had the so called diffuse axonal injury (DAI) by the traffic accident. The DAI was judged by neurological symptoms, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). 31P- and 1H-MRSI were performed 2 to 16 months after injury. The decrease of phosphocreatine (PCr) was observed by 31P-MRSI and the decrease of NAA by 1H-MRSI in the wide area of the brain. The decrease of NAA reflects the neuronal damage and consequently indicates the functional deterioration. Therefore, it is suggested that the amount of NAA could be the indicator of neuronal function and 1H-MRSI is useful for the examination of the neurological condition in SDBI.