• Sérgio Luiz Ramin, Waldir Antonio Tognola, and Antonio Ronaldo Spotti.
• Department of Neurological Sciences, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. sergioramin@cerebraecoluna.com.br
• Sao Paulo Med J. 2003 Nov 6;121(6):254-9.

ContextProton spectroscopy has been recognized as a safe and noninvasive diagnostic method that, coupled with magnetic resonance imaging techniques, allows for the correlation of anatomical and physiological changes in the metabolic and biochemical processes occurring within previously-determined volumes in the brain. There are two methods of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy: single voxel and chemical shift imaging.ObjectiveThe present work focused on the clinical applications of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in patients with brain lesions.ConclusionsIn vivo proton spectroscopy allows the detection of certain metabolites in brain tissue, such as N-acetyl aspartate, creatine, choline, myoinositol, amino acids and lipids, among others. N-acetyl aspartate is a neuronal marker and, as such, its concentration will decrease in the presence of aggression to the brain. Choline increase is the main indicator of neoplastic diseases. Myoinositol is raised in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Amino acids are encountered in brain abscesses. The presence of lipids is related to necrotic processes.

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