Abstract:

¹H magnetic resonance spectroscopy and diffusion weighted imaging features of the cerebellar vermis in 17 medulloblastoma patients were retrospectively analyzed, and 17 healthy volunteers were selected as controls. 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that in all 17 medulloblastoma patients, N-acetyl aspartate and creatine peaks were significantly decreased, the choline peak was significantly increased, and there was evidence of a myo-inositol peak. Further, 11 patients showed a low taurine peak at 3.4 ppm, five patients showed a lipid peak at 0.9–1.3 ppm, and three patients showed a negative lactic acid peak at 1.33 ppm. Compared with the control group, the ratios of N-acetyl aspartate/choline and N-acetyl aspartate/creatine were significantly decreased, and the ratio of choline/creatine was increased, in medulloblastoma patients. Diffusion weighted imaging displayed hyperintensity and decreased apparent diffusion coefficient in medulloblastoma patients. These findings indicate that 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy and diffusion weighted imaging are useful for qualitative diagnosis of medulloblastoma.

Key words: medulloblastoma, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, diffusion weighted imaging, apparent diffusion coefficient, N-acetyl aspartate, choline, creatine, taurine, lactic acid, myo-inositol