Alexander
Gussew1, Reinhard Rzanny1, Hans Christoph Scholle2,
Juergen R. Reichenbach1
1Medical Physics Group, Department of
Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena,
Germany; 2Division Motor Research, Pathophysiology and
Biomechanics, Department of Trauma, Hand and Reconstruc, Jena University
Hospital, Jena, Germany
In vivo 1H-MRS
detection of metabolic changes associated with chronic pain may provide
deeper understanding of biochemical neuronal dysfunctions caused by
chronification and may potentially help to specify therapeutic approaches. In
this study absolute concentrations of metabolites N-acetyl aspartate,
creatine, total choline, myo-Inositol and glutamate were measured by single
voxel 1H-MRS at 3 T in anterior insular, anterior cingulate cortex
and thalamus of six patients with chronic low back pain and corresponding
healthy controls. In all investigated brain regions, concentration decrease
of all metabolites up to 36% was observed in patients.