Abstract #2308

Sitter B, Bathen T, Jensen L, Lyng H, Gribbestad I, Kristensen G

We have compared MR characteristics of biopsies from cervical cancer patients to apoptosis and cellular density. Tumor samples from 20 patients were excised before and after treatment and analyzed using MAS and histopathology. Lipid-CH2/CH3 ratio showed weak correlations (Pearson) to cellular density (r2:-0.33, p: 0.032) and total apoptotic frequency (r2: 0.30, p: 0.045). Ratios of cholines to lipid-CH3 showed significant correlations to cellular density (r2: 0.50, p: 0.001). The apoptotic frequency in such samples is representative for carcinomas and MAS studies can provide valuable information when exploring the potential of in vivo MRS as a non-invasive method to monitor apoptosis.