Abstract #2161

Pathobiochemistry of Brain Damage in Multiple Sclerosis: Changes in Choline & Creatine Compounds Measured by 1H and 31P MRSI

Elke Hattingen¹, Ulf Ziemann², Jrg Magerkurth¹, Mathias Wahl², Ulrich Pilatus¹

¹Institute of Neuroradiology, Goethe University Frankfurt/Main, Frankfurt, Germany; ²Klinik fr Neurologie, Goethe University Frankfurt/Main, Frankfurt, Germany

Combined 1H and 31P MRSI was employed to evaluate the contribution of phosphorylated compounds to the well known increase in total choline (tCho) and total creatine (tCr) in MS. No change in the ratio of PCr/tCr was observed, indicating that increased tCr is not related to changes in energy metabolism but rather indicates gliosis. The significant tCho increase was mainly due to tCho components not visible by 31P MRS. The origin of this residual choline fraction remains to be investigated.