Science

N-Acetylaspartate (NAA) is a marker for neuron health. It’s useful in diagnosing brain conditions like tumors, head injuries, and dementias by quantifying neuronal damage. Elevated NAA levels occur during recovery and in Canavan disease, a genetic disorder with reduced NAA-deacyclase activity, causing NAA buildup.

Choline is a metabolite known for its significance in cell membrane turnover and cell proliferation. It is often measured in tissues, including the brain, where elevated choline levels can be indicative of increased cell membrane synthesis and cell density. MRS identifies choline by its unique chemical signature, making it a valuable marker for assessing tissue characteristics and, in the context of brain imaging, for evaluating conditions such as tumors or other pathological processes where cell growth and membrane turnover are altered.

The primary resonance of creatine lies at 3.0ppm. It is the central energy marker of both neurons and astrocytes and remains relatively constant. For that reason, it is often used as an internal reference for comparison to other metabolites. 

Glutamine is a metabolite linked to amino acid and neurotransmitter processes that is measurable with MRS. It’s useful in assessing tissue biochemistry, especially in brain imaging, where changes in glutamine levels can signal conditions like neurodegenerative diseases or neurotransmitter pathway disruptions.

Lactate is a measurable metabolite that signifies anaerobic metabolism in tissues. It results from cellular glycolysis when oxygen is limited, as seen in conditions like hypoxia, ischemia, or certain tumors. MRS detects lactate by its distinctive chemical signature, making it a valuable marker for understanding tissue metabolism in various medical contexts, particularly in brain imaging, where elevated lactate levels can indicate underlying pathological conditions.