{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Hippocampal Glutamate Levels and Their Correlation With Subregion Volume in School-Aged Children With MRI-Negative Epilepsy: A Preliminary Study.
{Author}: Xu D;Ren Q;Liu Q;Liu M;Gong H;Liu Y;Yin Z;Zeng Z;Xia S;Zhang Y;Li J;Gao Q;Wang J;Li X;
{Journal}: J Magn Reson Imaging
{Volume}: 0
{Issue}: 0
{Year}: 2024 Jul 6
{Factor}: 5.119
{DOI}: 10.1002/jmri.29514
{Abstract}: <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Abnormal levels of glutamate constitute a key pathophysiologic mechanism in epilepsy. The use of glutamate chemical exchange saturation transfer (GluCEST) imaging to measure glutamate levels in pediatric epilepsy is rarely reported in research.<BR><B>OBJECTIVE: </B>To investigate hippocampal glutamate level variations in pediatric epilepsy and the correlation between glutamate and hippocampal subregional volumes.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Cross-sectional, prospective.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>A total of 38 school-aged pediatric epilepsy patients with structurally normal MRI as determined by at least two independent radiologists (60% males; 8.7 ± 2.5 years; including 20 cases of focal pediatric epilepsy [FE] and 18 cases of generalized pediatric epilepsy [GE]) and 17 healthy controls (HC) (41% males; 9.0 ± 2.5 years).<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>3.0 T; 3D magnetization prepared rapid gradient echo (MPRAGE) and 2D turbo spin echo GluCEST sequences.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>The relative concentration of glutamate was calculated through pixel-wise magnetization transfer ratio asymmetry (MTRasym) analysis of the GluCEST data. Hippocampal subfield volumes were computed from MPRAGE data using FreeSurfer.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>This study used t tests, one-way analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and Pearson correlation analysis. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>The MTRasym values of both the left and right hippocampi were significantly elevated in GE (left: 2.51 ± 0.23 [GE] vs. 2.31 ± 0.12 [HCs], right: 2.50 ± 0.22 [GE] vs. 2.27 ± 0.22 [HCs]). The MTRasym values of the ipsilateral hippocampus were significantly elevated in FE (2.49 ± 0.28 [ipsilateral] vs. 2.29 ± 0.16 [HCs]). The MTRasym values of the ipsilateral hippocampus were significantly increased compared to the contralateral hippocampus in FE (2.49 ± 0.28 [ipsilateral] vs. 2.35 ± 0.34 [contralateral]). No significant differences in hippocampal volume were found between different groups (left hippocampus, P = 0.87; right hippocampus, P = 0.87).<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>GluCEST imaging have potential for the noninvasive measurement of glutamate levels in the brains of children with epilepsy.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1.