[Fundamental concepts in the implementation of the spectroscopic magnetic resonance for the determination of the biological quality of human cartilage transplants]. / Conceptos básicos en el empleo de la resonancia magnética espectroscópica para determinar la calidad biológica de trasplantes de cartílago humano.

Cartilage grafts are often used in reconstructive surgery for compensating loss or defect in tissues. Future progress in this field are related to the resolution of some problems concerning the preservation in our tissue-banks. Several time-expensive biochemical, histological and autoradiographic methods have been employed in the past to describe the metabolic properties and pathological changes of preserved and transplanted cartilage grafts. In this article we show that magnetic resonance spectroscopy offers the possibility to recognize metabolic changes in cartilage tissues as a consequence of storage conditions: anaerobic metabolism (lactacte) and lysis of collagenic structures of the matrix. In this way objective parameters assessing the biologic quality of grafts can be obtained without any destructive impact on the specimen.

[The 31-phosphorus spectroscopy of space-occupying lesions of the salivary glands. The clinical results and differential diagnosis]. / 31Phosphorspektroskopie von Raumforderungen der Speicheldrüsen. Klinische Ergebnisse und Differentialdiagnostik.

In a prospective study, 15 normals and 20 patients with space-occupying lesions of the salivary glands were examined by MRT images and by in vivo 31-phosphorus spectroscopy. The spectra of malignant tumours showed a significant increase in concentration of phosphomonoesters, phosphodiesters and inorganic phosphates when compared with normals. In addition there was an enormous reduction in creatine phosphates. Increased pH values and marked increase in concentration of inorganic phosphates correlated with poorly vascularised necrotic tumour segments. Concentrations of ATP and PCr were similar to normal muscle tissue. High concentrations of PME and PDE correlated directly with the proliferation of tumour cells and were an important marker for the bioenergy and phospholipid metabolism of the growing tumour. Standardised in vivo 31-phosphorus spectroscopy of space-occupying lesions of the salivary glands provides noninvasive prognostic information on the type and behaviour of the lesion and is complementary to clinical and histological findings.