COMPARISON BETWEEN PROTON MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY FINDINGS IN DOGS WITH TICK‐BORNE ENCEPHALITIS AND CLINICALLY NORMAL DOGS |
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| Authors: | Christine Sievert Henning Richter Katrin Beckmann Patrick R Kircher Ines Carrera |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Clinic of Diagnostic Imaging, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;2. Department of Neurology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland |
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| Abstract: | In vivo diagnosis of tick‐borne encephalitis is difficult due to high seroprevalence and rapid viral clearance, limiting detection of antibodies in blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of tick‐borne encephalitis have been reported, however MRI studies can also be negative despite the presence of neurologic signs. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) is an imaging method that provides additional information about the metabolic characteristics of brain tissues. The purpose of this retrospective cross‐sectional study was to describe brain metabolites using short echo time single‐voxel 1H MRS in dogs with confirmed tick‐borne encephalitis and compare them with healthy dogs. Inclusion criteria for the affected dogs were neurological symptoms suggestive of tick‐borne encephalitis, previous endemic stay and tick‐bite, diagnostic quality brain MRI and 1H MRS studies, and positive antibody titers or confirmation of tick‐borne encephalitis with necropsy. Control dogs were 10, clinically normal beagles that had been used in a previous study. A total of six affected dogs met inclusion criteria. All dogs affected with tick‐borne encephalitis had 1H MRS metabolite concentration alterations versus control dogs. These changes included mild to moderate decreases in N‐acetyl aspartate and creatine peaks, and mild increases in glutamate/glutamine peaks. No lactate or lipid signal was detected in any dog. Myoinositol and choline signals did not differ between affected and control dogs. In conclusion, findings supported the use of 1H MRS as an adjunctive imaging method for dogs with suspected tick‐borne encephalitis and inconclusive conventional MRI findings. |
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| Keywords: | dog magnetic resonance spectroscopy tick‐borne encephalitis |
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