Birte Schmitz1, Anita B. Tryc2, Karin Weißenborn2, Henning Pflugrad2, Heinrich Lanfermann1, and Xiao-Qi Ding1
1Institute for Neuroradiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, 2Institute for Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
Patients treated with immunosuppressive calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) for at least 3
years after liver transplantation were studied by using non-localized
whole brain 31P-MRS at 3T to evaluate possible chronic neurotoxic side effects
of the CNI. Global concentrations of brain high-energy metabolites
Adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) and phosphocreatine (PCr) were estimated. The
values of the patient with different doses of CNI were compared with those of
age-matched healthy volunteers. In our preliminary results significant lower
concentrations of ATP and PCr were found in patients treated both with standard and
low doses of CNI, indicating possible neurotoxic side effects.
