Abstract
This study explores the overlooked potential value of certain forms of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) when diagnosing brain lesions. Images from a group of follow-up patients with brain lesions suggest the procedure's diagnostic importance in differentiating between neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions. This research has been conducted for three years at the medical imaging department in the Royal Care International Hospital (RCIH), Khartoum, Sudan. The sample included a total of 50 patients with intracranial tumours, which have been grouped into the following categories: group (A), 30 patients, 13 male and 17 female, who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), proton MRS, and stereotactic biopsy; group (B), 20 patients, 13 male and 7 female, who underwent a follow-up course of MRS to compare the improvement and status of patient's pre- and post-treatment. Patients' age ranged from (4-74years), mean +/- SD 44 +/- 18 years. This study revealed that in group (A), (30%) of brain lesions occurred in the parietal lobe, malignancy was common in MRS findings (56.7%), and increased Cho/Cr (choline-creatine) peaks with NAA (N-acetyl aspartate) remained unchanged since prior imaging sessions while also presenting as a common chemical spectral analysis. In group (B), glioma and inflammatory process were the highest percentage (30%), while (5%) presented no active tumoral cells, and increased Cho with reduction of NAA and Cr accompanied by increase lactate was a common to chemical spectral analysis of the cases. For post-treatment (follow-up) cases, signs of improvement presented as reduction in size and oedema. The distribution of this improvement include {3} of {6} glioma cases, {3} of {6} inflammatory process cases, {2} of {5} malignancy cases, {1} of {1} abscess case, {1} of {1} no active tumoral cells case, and {1} of {1} arterial ischemic insult which showed further complication (increase in size).The study proves that MRS together with MRI and histopathology is a reliable method for determining whether a brain lesion is or is not a tumour, within acceptable statistical values.