Analysis of 31P chemical-shift signatures of high-energy phosphates in glioma patients measured at 7 Tesla

Motivation: The detailed characterization of tumor micro-environment can be supported by 31P MRSI enabling the non-invasive determination of pH and magnesium ion content (Mg). Goal(s): The aim of this study was to investigate whether a discrimination between different glioma micro-environments might be possible based on the differences in 31P chemical-shift signatures. Approach: For this purpose, 31P MRSI datasets from 12 patients with glioma acquired at 7T were analyzed and used to estimate the underlying pH and Mg values. Results: For the analyzed cohort, different trends in 31P chemical-shift signatures, as well as in pH and Mg values were observed for different tumor subtypes. Impact: The analysis of 31P chemical-shift signatures in glioma patients could potentially be used for stratifying tumor subtypes, and might help in the characterization of tumor microenvironments, e.g. by determining potential biomarkers such as pH and the magnesium ion content.