Added value of magnetic resonance spectroscopy for diagnosing childhood cerebellar tumours.

H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) provides noninvasive metabolite profiles with the potential to aid the diagnosis of brain tumours. Prospective studies of diagnostic accuracy and comparisons with conventional MRI are lacking. The aim of the current study was to evaluate, prospectively, the diagnostic accuracy of a previously established classifier for diagnosing the three major childhood cerebellar tumours, and to determine added value compared with standard reporting of conventional imaging.

Machine learning-based radiomic, clinical and semantic feature analysis for predicting overall survival and MGMT promoter methylation status in patients with glioblastoma.

Introduction: Survival varies in patients with glioblastoma due to intratumoral heterogeneity and radiomics/imaging biomarkers have potential to demonstrate heterogeneity. The objective was to combine radiomic, semantic and clinical features to improve prediction of overall survival (OS) and O-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation status from pre-operative MRI in patients with glioblastoma.

Methods: A retrospective study of 181 MRI studies (mean age 58 ± 13 years, mean OS 497 ± 354 days) performed in patients with histopathology-proven glioblastoma.

Prospective multicentre evaluation and refinement of an analysis tool for magnetic resonance spectroscopy of childhood cerebellar tumours.

Background: A tool for diagnosing childhood cerebellar tumours using magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy peak height measurement has been developed based on retrospective analysis of single-centre data.

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of the peak height measurement tool in a multicentre prospective study, and optimise it by adding new prospective data to the original dataset.

Materials And Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and single-voxel MR spectroscopy were performed on children with cerebellar tumours at three centres.

Accurate classification of childhood brain tumours by in vivo ¹H MRS - a multi-centre study.

Aims: To evaluate the accuracy of single-voxel Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ((1)H MRS) as a non-invasive diagnostic aid for paediatric brain tumours in a multi-national study. Our hypotheses are (1) that automated classification based on (1)H MRS provides an accurate non-invasive diagnosis in multi-centre datasets and (2) using a protocol which increases the metabolite information improves the diagnostic accuracy.

Methods: Seventy-eight patients under 16 years old with histologically proven brain tumours from 10 international centres were investigated.

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolite profiles predict survival in paediatric brain tumours.

Background: Brain tumours cause the highest mortality and morbidity rate of all childhood tumour groups and new methods are required to improve clinical management. (1)H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) allows non-invasive concentration measurements of small molecules present in tumour tissue, providing clinically useful imaging biomarkers. The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether MRS detectable molecules can predict the survival of paediatric brain tumour patients.

Appraisal of the current staging system for residual medulloblastoma by volumetric analysis.

Aim: This study aims to investigate the accuracy of the current staging system of childhood medulloblastoma by using volumetric image analysis on immediate post-operative MRI scans.

Material And Methods: Tumour volume and maximum cross area of residual medulloblastoma were measured on immediate post-operative MR scans of 37 children operated between 1999 and 2005.

Results: Mean preoperative volume was 32 cm(3) (range 4.

Short echo time single voxel 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the diagnosis and characterisation of pineal tumours in children.

Background: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has been successful in characterising a range of brain tumours and is a useful aid to non-invasive diagnosis. The pineal region poses considerable surgical challenges and a major surgical resection is not required in the management of all tumours. Improved non-invasive assessment of pineal region tumours would be of considerable benefit.

A comparison between simulated and experimental basis sets for assessing short-TE in vivo ¹H MRS data at 1.5 T.

A number of algorithms designed to determine metabolite concentrations from in vivo (1)H MRS require a collection of single metabolite spectra, known as a basis set, which can be obtained experimentally or by simulation. It has been assumed that basis sets can be used interchangeably, but no systematic study has investigated the effects of small variations in basis functions on the metabolite values obtained. The aim of this study was to compare the results of simulated with experimental basis sets when used to fit short-TE (1)H MRS data of variable quality at 1.

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the assessment of pilocytic astrocytomas.

Background: Pilocytic astrocytomas (PA) are common childhood brain tumours whose management and prognosis vary widely depending on location. (1)H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) measures biochemistry in vivo and shows promise for characterising brain tumours and aiding management.

Methods: Single voxel MRS (1.

Predictive value of preoperative ventricular volume on the need for permanent hydrocephalus treatment immediately after resection of posterior fossa medulloblastomas in children.

Object: In this study, the authors investigated whether preoperative ventricular volume can be used to predict the need for permanent treatment of hydrocephalus in children with posterior fossa medulloblastomas.

Methods: Ventricular volumes were measured on magnetic resonance imaging studies obtained preoperatively and immediately postoperatively in 20 children who had undergone resection for medulloblastomas between 1999 and 2007. Comparison of mean values was performed using the one-way analysis of variance test.

Skull base growth in children with Chiari malformation Type I.

Object: The goal of this study was to establish whether children with Chiari malformation Type I (CM-I) have abnormal skull base geometry.

Methods: Distances and angles between skull base landmarks were measured on preoperative magnetic resonance images obtained in 30 children (age range 36-204 months) with symptomatic isolated CM-I; 16 of them (53%) had syringomyelia. Comparisons were made with 42 children of similar age who comprised the control group by using one-way analysis of variance.

The use of short-echo-time 1H MRS for childhood cerebellar tumours prior to histopathological diagnosis.

Background: Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) measures concentrations of metabolites in vivo and provides a powerful method for identifying tumours. MRS has not entered routine clinical use partly due to the difficulty of analysing the spectra.

Objective: To create a straightforward method for interpreting short-echo-time MRS of childhood cerebellar tumours.

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy suggests key differences in the metastatic behaviour of medulloblastoma.

Background: Metastatic medulloblastoma has a poorer prognosis than localised disease in part due to inherent properties of the tumour. 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) provides a powerful method for investigating tumour metabolism in vivo.

Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging and short echo time (Te 30 ms) single voxel MRS were performed on the primary tumour of 16 children with medulloblastoma prior to surgical resection.

Posterior fossa volume in children with Chiari malformation Type I.

Object: The authors sought to establish whether the volume of the posterior fossa in children suffering from Chiari malformation Type I (CM-I) is smaller than normal, as has been suggested previously. They also investigated the role of syringomyelia in posterior fossa development.

Methods: Both posterior fossa volume (PFV) and intracranial volume (ICV) were measured using segmentation techniques on preoperative magnetic resonance images obtained in 42 children who underwent surgery for CM-I (mean age 127 months, range 36-204 months); 25 (59%) of the patients had syringomyelia.

Influence of the shunt type in the difference in reduction of volume between the two lateral ventricles in shunted hydrocephalic children.

Introduction: After shunt insertion there is commonly a disproportionate reduction in size of the lateral ventricle containing the catheter (shunted lateral ventricle), which is almost certainly related to shunt function. To explore the difference between two shunt types, the Differential Pressure Medium Pressure cylindrical (M.P.

Changes in ventricular volume in hydrocephalic children following successful endoscopic third ventriculostomy.

Objective: The objective was to investigate the changes in ventricular volume in hydrocephalic children following successful endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV).

Materials And Methods: Using segmentation techniques, serial measurements of ventricular volume were performed using the MRI scans of 13 hydrocephalic children who had successful ETV between 1999 and 2002 to monitor ventricular response. All patients remained asymptomatic, did not require shunting and demonstrated radiological evidence of stoma patency on phase contrast cine MR, throughout the follow-up period extending from 1 to 3.