Speaker
Description
Brain metastases are the most common malignant brain tumors in adults, but response to immune and targeted therapies remains unpredictable. This study explores non-invasive metabolic imaging using edited MRS combined with qMRI to quantify lactate (Lac), glutathione (GSH), and GABA in vivo. Twelve patients underwent 3T MRI, MRS, and qMRI. Spectra were acquired in tumors and contralateral tissue using MEGA-sLASER. Data were analyzed with Gannet and LCModel, and absolute concentrations were calculated with qMRI-based corrections. High-quality spectra were obtained. Lactate levels varied widely across tumors and did not correlate with CSF Lac. GABA+ and GSH were consistently reduced in metastases. Findings suggest tumor-specific metabolic alterations and demonstrate improved metabolite quantification using combined edited MRS and qMRI approaches.