ReviewThe neuroradiology journal2026
A systematic approach to MR spectroscopy of the brain: Indications, protocol, metabolites, and spectral analysis in neurologic diseases.
Review in The neuroradiology journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a noninvasive imaging technique that complements conventional magnetic resonance imaging by providing in vivo metabolic and biochemical characterization of brain tissue. By quantifying metabolites such as N-acetylaspartate, choline, creatine, lactate, and myo-inositol (myo-Ins), MRS offers insight into neuronal integrity, membrane turnover, energy metabolism, inflammation, and necrosis, features that help distinguish between pathologies with greater specificity than anatomic imaging alone.This review presents a clinically focused, systematic approach to brain MRS, addressing indications, acquisition strategies, spectral interpretation, and characteristic metabolic patterns across a broad spectrum of neuropathologies. Key technical factors influencing spectral quality and reproducibility, such as voxel selection, field strength, echo time, and sequence choice, are highlighted. Metabolic signatures of neoplastic, infectious, inflammatory, demyelinating, metabolic, and neurodegenerative disorders are reviewed with an emphasis on practical differentiation in the setting of overlapping imaging appearances. Recognizing the limited specificity of isolated metabolite abnormalities, this review emphasizes integration of MRS findings with clinical context and conventional MRI. A structured interpretive framework is proposed to promote consistent analysis and enhance diagnostic confidence, reinforcing the role of MRS as a valuable adjunct in contemporary neuroradiologic practice.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.