The metabolite patterns obtained by ex vivo proton MR spectroscopy of fluid from different locations of hydatid cysts of sheep and humans (n = 16) and cysticercus cysts of swine and humans (n = 25) were compared with an objective of differentiating the two parasites on the basis of their metabolite pattern. The spectra from hydatid fluid differed from cysticercus cyst by the absence of creatine in the former. When the hydatid cyst was fertile, malate and/or fumarate was also observed, which was absent in cysticercus cyst. The most likely explanation for the presence of creatine only in the cysticercus fluid is its active diffusion from the surrounding host tissue along with a contribution from the musculature present in the bladder wall of the cyst.
Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.