The Role of Single Voxel MR Spectroscopy, T2 Relaxation Time and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient in Determining the Cellularity of Brain Tumors by MATLAB Software

INTRODUCTION: Brain tumors if timely diagnosed are sure to be treated through shorter processes. MRI amongst others is of Para clinical methods greatly effective in diagnosis phase. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps provide some information that could reflect tissue cellularity. Neurosurgeons, in particular to detect the tumor cellularity, must send the specimens taken through biopsy to the pathology unit. This study is aimed at determining the tumor cellularity in brain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 32 patients (18 males and 14 females of the range 18 – 77 y/o) between April 2014 and February 2016 who were referred to the neurosurgery department of Shohada-E Tajrish Hospital of Tehran participated. Imaging was made using single voxel MR Spectroscopy, ADC and T2W Multi Echo Pulse Sequence in addition to routine pulse sequences and the images were analyzed using MATLAB software to determine the cellularity of brain tumors in comparison to the biopsy. RESULTS: findings showed that by decreasing T2 relaxation time, the amount of ADC, N-Acetyl Aspartate (NAA) and also, increase Choline metabolite, lead to registering tumors in the lower class on the designed table and these tumors have a higher degree of consistency and cellularity. T2 Relaxation time, the tumors will stand at higher class on the designed table. Also the results indicated that 85% diagnostic weight of T2 relaxation time and 83% diagnostic weight of ADC compared with biopsy could reveal the brain tumor cellularity (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: some cellular metabolite changes such as NAA and Choline, ADC value and T2 relaxation time feature could effectively be used to distinguish and illustrate the degree of cellularity of brain tumors especially Intra-axial brain tumors (with about 85%. vs. biopsy). We recommend to more data should be used to increase the accuracy percentage of this technique.