Magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the diagnostic evaluation of brainstem lesions in Alexander disease.

[alexander disease]

Alexander disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease , which can present with brainstem lesions with imaging characteristics similar to multifocal low -grade glioma , thus presenting a diagnostic dilemma . The authors report a 6 -year -old child presenting with multifocal brainstem lesions subsequently diagnosed to have Alexander disease . In vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy generated a metabolite profile of the lesion allowing differentiation from low -grade glioma . Magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a powerful tool in the assessment of brainstem lesions and is a useful adjunct to conventional magnetic resonance imaging in the assessment and diagnosis of atypical brain lesions .