Spectroscopic increase in choline signal is a nonspecific marker for differentiation of infective/inflammatory from neoplastic lesions of the brain

We report in vivo proton magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopic findings in three benign infective/inflammatory lesions (one case each of tuberculoma, fungal granuloma, and xanthogranuloma), which showed high choline along wit h the presence of lipid/lactate, a feature characteristically described in neoplastic lesions. Histopathology of the lesions showed inflammatory cellu lar infiltrates with areas of necrosis/caseation. The spectroscopic-visible increased choline resonance in these lesions is probably the result of cel lularity. We conclude that increased choline, along with the presence of li pid/lactate is a nonspecific finding and may not be of much value in the di fferentiation of neoplastic from nonneoplastic infective/inflammatory Intra cranial mass lesions. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.