TY - JOUR T1 - Proton MR spectroscopy of squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract: in vitro characteristics. JF - American Journal of Neuroradiology JO - Am. J. Neuroradiol. SP - 1485 LP - 1490 VL - 17 IS - 8 AU - S K Mukherji AU - S Schiro AU - M Castillo AU - L Kwock AU - R Soper AU - W Blackstock AU - W Shockley AU - M Weissler Y1 - 1996/09/01 UR - http://www.ajnr.org/content/17/8/1485.abstract N2 - PURPOSE To determine the ability of in vitro high-field-strength proton MR spectroscopy to differentiate squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract from uninvolved muscle.METHODS Surgical specimens of squamous cell carcinoma arising from the upper aerodigestive tract (n = 18) and from muscle (n = 13) were examined in vitro using high-field (11 T) proton MR spectroscopy. The peak heights of choline and creatine were measured for tumor and muscle at echo times of 136 and 272. The choline/creatine (Cho/Cr) ratio was compared between tumor and normal tissue for each echo time. Student's t test was used to determine whether a significant difference existed between proton MR spectroscopic measurements of the Cho/Cr ratio for tumor and muscle.RESULTS The mean Cho/Cr ratio was consistently higher in tumor than in muscle at all echo times; however, statistically significant differences between tumor and muscle were identified only at longer echo times (136 and 272).CONCLUSION The Cho/Cr peak height ratio can be used to differentiate tumor from muscle in vitro (at 11 T). ER -