Choline and creatine are not reliable denominators for calculating metabolite ratios in acute ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Choline and creatine are commonly used as denominators for other metabolites in ischemic stroke spectroscopy, assuming that they do not change. We investigated their concentration variation over time after stroke. METHODS: Choline and creatine concentrations were measured by proton MR spectroscopic imaging in 51 patients at 5 times up to 3 months after stroke. RESULTS: Choline and creatine levels changed significantly in the ischemic region. Choline was significantly reduced during the first 2 weeks after stroke onset (P=0.034). Creatine was significantly reduced during the whole period of the study (P=0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Choline and creatine concentrations are not reliable denominators for metabolite ratios in acute stroke because their levels vary significantly in ischemic brain regions.