Radiology, Vol 182, 29-34, Copyright © 1992 by Radiological Society of North America
Decreased phosphorus metabolite concentrations and alkalosis in chronic cerebral infarction
D Sappey-Marinier, B Hubesch, GB Matson and MW Weiner
Magnetic Resonance Unit, Veterans Administration Medical Center, San Francisco, CA 94121.
A study was performed to determine quantitatively the alterations in
phosphorus metabolite concentrations and pH in regions of the human brain
damaged by chronic stroke. Image-guided phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance
spectroscopy was performed on the brains of eight healthy subjects and six
patients with cerebral infarction of more than 3 months duration.
Phosphorus metabolite concentrations in infarcted regions were reduced
8%-67%. Significant decreases occurred in phosphomonoester (PME),
phosphodiester (PDE), and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentrations,
while inorganic phosphate (Pi) and phosphocreatine (PCr) concentrations
showed smaller, nonsignificant decreases. The PCr/ATP ratio was
significantly increased, while the ATP/Pi ratio was somewhat lower. The
phospholipid ratio PDE/PME was also significantly increased, while the
ratios of phospholipid (PME, PDE) to phosphate (PCR, Pi) metabolites were
significantly decreased. The pH of the infarcted region indicated
significantly more alkalinity than in the normal brain. The results suggest
that chronic stroke is associated with significant changes in brain
metabolite concentrations and pH that are different from those reported for
other brain diseases.
