DETECTION OF PROPAN-1,2-DIOL IN NEONATAL BRAIN BY IN-VIVO PROTON MAGNETIC-RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY

Cerebral in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of 13 newborn infants displaying seizures and receiving phenobarbitone, in one case supplemented by phenytoin, showed signals from propan-1,2-diol (the in jection vehicle for both these anticonvulsants). Subsequent in vitro s pectroscopy of cerebro spinal fluid (CSF) from one of these infants al so showed signals from this substance. The estimated in vivo propan-1, 2-diol concentration (similar to 3 mM) was less than that measured in the CSF sample (14.4 mM). These observations suggest that propan-1,2-d iol may accumulate in cerebral tissue and misidentification of its sig nals in both in vivo and in vitro proton spectra may confuse diagnoses of metabolic or other disorders.