Steffi
Dreha-Kulaczewski1, Marco Henneke1, Knut Brockmann1,
Marinette van der Graaf2,3, Michel Willemsen4, Udo
Engelke5, Peter Dechent6, Arend Heerschap3,
Gunther Helms6, Ron Wevers5, Jutta Gaertner1
1Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric
Neurology, Georg August University, Goettingen, Germany; 2Clinical
Physics Laboratory in the Department of Pediatrics, Radboud University
Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands; 3Department of
Radiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands;
4Department of Pediatric Neurology, Radboud University Nijmegen
Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands; 5Laboratory of Genetic,
Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Radboud
University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands; 6MR-Research
in Neurology and Psychiatry, Georg August University, Goettingen, Germany
Adenylosuccinate
lyase (ADSL) deficiency is an inherited metabolic disorder and characterized
by the accumulation of succinylaminoimidazolecarboxamide riboside and
succinyladenosine (S-Ado) in tissue and body fluids. In three children,
presenting with psychomotor delay, autistic features, and white matter
changes on brain MRI, screening for inborn errors of metabolism included in
vitro proton MRS. It revealed resonances at 8.27 and 8.29ppm that correspond
to S-Ado. In vivo proton MRS showed a signal at 8.3ppm in gray and white
matter brain regions of all three patients, which was undetectable in
controls. In vivo proton MRS provides a conclusive finding in ADSL
deficiency.