More articles from BRAIN
- Postoperative Changes in Cerebral Metabolites Associated with Cognitive Improvement and Impairment after Carotid Endarterectomy: A 3T Proton MR Spectroscopy Study
This study assessed the use of metabolites seen on MRS as markers of change in cognitive status after carotid artery surgery. MRS and neurocognitive testing were obtained before and after surgery in 100 patients. The results showed that cognition remained unchanged in 80%, improved in 10%, and was impaired in 10% of patients postoperatively and that in these last 2 groups, NAA/Cr correlated well the clinical status. Thus, NAA/Cr may serve as a marker of neurologic status after carotid artery surgery (see accompanying editorial by Lövblad and Pereira).