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Table 3 main results of magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies

From: The value of magnetic resonance imaging as a biomarker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a systematic review

Publication

Numbers of patients/controls

Main results

Main clinical correlations

Bowen et al., [94]

18/12

Cho and ins were elevated in the MC. NAA and Cr were correlated in left MC

Correlation between ins in MC and UMN disability, negative correlation between Naa in MC and UMN disability, higher Cho in sever UMN disability group

Cervo et al., [90]

84/28

NAA/(Cho + Cr) was low in the MC

Negative

Foerster et al., [95]

10/9

Low gamma aminobutyric acid in the MC but not in WM

Negative

Foerster et al., [55]

29/30

NAA and gamma aminobutyric acid were low and ins was elevated in the left MC

Negative correlation between gamma aminobutyric acid in MC and DD, correlation between Naa peak in MC and ALSFRS-R

Govind et al., [92]

38/70

NAA was low and Cho was elevated in most parts of CST, and Cho/NAA was elevated in all parts of the CSTs

Negative correlation between Cho/Naa in the left entire CST and forced vital capacity, negative correlation between Cho/Naa in the left CST and right and left finger tap rate, negative correlation between Cho/Naa in left MC and semiovale centrum and right finger tape or forced vital capacity

Han et al., [85]

15/15

NAA/Cr peak was low in the MC and PLIC, Glu/Cr and Glu + Gln/Cr peaks were low in the MC and PLIC

Negative correlation between Glu + Gln/Cr with Norris score

Kalra et al., [88, 89]

63/18

NAA/Cho and NAA/Cr was low in the MC, and Cho/Cr was elevated in the MC

Relation between decreased Naa/Cho in the MC and reduced survival.

Kalra et al., [88, 89]

17/15

NAA/Ins, NAA/Cr and NAA/Cho were low in the MC, and Ins/Cr was elevated in the MC

Negative (p ≤ 0.05)

Liu et al., [87]

19/13

NAA/Cr was low in the MC

Negative

Lombardo et al., [79]

32/19

NAA/Cr was low and ins/Cr and Cho/Cr were elevated in the MC.

Abnormalities were correlated with the El Escorial score

Pohl et al., [91]

70/48

NAA, Pcr + Cr, NAA/Cho and NAA/(Pcr + Cr) were low in the MC. At 12 months, NAA/Cho was low and Cho/(Pcr + Cr) was elevated

Not available

Pyra et al., [59]

14/14

NAA/Cho and NAA/Cr were low in the MC and corona radiata, and Cho/Cr was elevated in the MC

Correlation between Naa/Cho peak in MC and DD, negative correlation between Naa/Cho in MC and corona radiata and DPR

Rooney et al., [86]

10/9

NAA/(Cho + Cr) was low in the MC and CST but not in other regions

Correlation between Naa/(Cho + Cr) in the MC and maximum finger tape rate

Stagg et al., [47]

13/14

NAA was low along the CSTs

Correlation between Naa peak along CSTs and ALSFRS-R

Unrath et al., [96]

8/0

Progressive decrease over time in the NAA peak throughout the MC

Progressive decrease of Naa/(Cr + Cho) in the less affected hemisphere. Correlation between Naa and the more or less affected side (ALSFRS subscore). Correlation between Naa/(Cr + Cho) and the less affected side (ALSFRS subscore)

Verma et al., [93]

21/10

NAA/Cho was low in the right lingual gyrus, parts of the occipital lobe, left supramarginal gyrus and left caudate. NAA/Cr was low in the right MC, left frontal inferior operculum, right cuneus, parts of the occipital lobe, left caudate and left Heschl gyrus

Not available

  1. MC motor cortex, CST corticospinal tract, PLIC posterior limb of the internal capsule, WM white matter, NAA N-acetylaspartate, Cho choline, Gln glutamine, Glu glutamate, PCr phosphocreatine, Cr creatine or creatine + Pcr (the distinction is not relevant for interpretation), DD disease duration, DPR disease progression rate