Abstract #2923

Buchthal S, Nabors L, Akella N, den Hollander J

Twelve patients with malignant brain tumors were studied using dynamic susceptibility contrast enhanced MRI and MR spectroscopic imaging performed on a clinical 3T MRI scanner. Relative cerebral blood flow and metabolite concentrations were acquired and these correlated with each other, and also with the clinical diagnoses of the patients. Patients demonstrated increases in Choline and Creatine, and a decrease in NAA in the tumor margins, along with significantly higher relative cerebral blood flow values compared to uninvolved brain regions. The longitudinal variations in these parameters are useful in evaluating the role of angiogenesis in tumor progression and disease prognosis.