The magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis and staging of brain gliomas: the aplication of proton spectroscopy technique

Abstract

The objective of this study was to perform a literature review of primary studies that assess the application of proton magnetic ressonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) as a method in the diagnosis and staging of brain gliomas. We used the “PubMed´s database” for selection of primary studies that used 1H-MRS in the diagnosis and/or staging of gliomas. All articles analyzed through PubMed´s database showed statistical significance in the correlation between 1H-MRS and histopathology of the lesion. Of the 26 studies examined nine showed difference between gliomas and other lesions of the Central Nervous System (CNS) and 23 evaluated the difference between low-grade gliomas and high-grade gliomas. Sought to show that the lines of research that have used 1H-RMS presented more refined results as to the diagnosis of these tumors. These studies have concluded that 1H-MRS associated with MRI is a diagnostic method with good accuracy when compared with histopathological analysis. Metabolites detected by spectroscopy correlate well with the grading of gliomas and provide strong evidence that this method can be used for evaluation and follow-up of patients preoperatively and postoperatively.