Magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the evaluation of neurotoxicity following cranial irradiation for childhood cancer

In order to evaluate the role of proton MR spectroscopy (H-1-MRS) in the di agnosis and assessment of long-term radiation-related neurotoxicity, 14 chi ldren who had received cranial irradiation for the treatment of childhood l eukaemia (n=6) or brain tumours (n=8) underwent H-1-MRS, MRI and neuropsych ological assessment. Short-term effects at 2 months following treatment wer e studied in a further three patients. MRI abnormalities were observed in n ine patients. No statistically significant differences between patients and controls (n=17) were seen in any of the calculated H-1-MRS metabolite rati os, in any of the three patient groups. On multivariate logistic regression analysis there was a correlation between the choline/water ratio and a low IQ. It is concluded that any systematic radiation-induced changes in the H -1 MRS metabolites must be below the detection threshold of this study.