en Radiation Biology Radiation Biology تحقيق بديع Original Research <div style="text-align: justify;">Background: This study aims to&nbsp;investigate&nbsp;the metabolic characteristics of radiotherapy-induced temporal lobe injury&nbsp;in elderly patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma using ¹H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Materials and Methods: Data were collected from 21 elderly patients&nbsp;and 33 young patients before and during therapy with different&nbsp;radiation dosages&nbsp;(20,&nbsp;40, and 60 Gy). The Student&rsquo;s t-test was used to compare the 1H-MRS-based N-acetyl aspartate /Creatine (NAA/Cr), Choline/Creatine (Cho/Cr), and NAA/Cho ratios in the temporal lobes. Results: Statistically significant&nbsp;differences in the NAA/Cr&nbsp;and&nbsp;NAA/Cho&nbsp;ratios was found between the two groups&nbsp;(P < 0.05) at 20, 40, and 60 Gy.&nbsp;The Cho/Cr ratios (20/40/60 Gy) were 1.82 &plusmn; 0.16/1.61 &plusmn; 0.29/1.37 &plusmn; 0.13&nbsp;and 1.77 &plusmn; 0.19/1.48 &plusmn; 0.17/1.06 &plusmn; 0.14 in the elderly and young patients, respectively. We found significant differences between the two groups at the dosages of 40 and 60 Gy (P<0.05). The decrease in the NAA/Cr&nbsp;and&nbsp;NAA/Cho ratios in the elderly group&nbsp;was&nbsp;significantly higher than that in the young patients with dosages of 20, 40, and 60 Gy. The decrease in the Cho/Cr ratio in the elderly group (2.15%/11.29%/12.90%) was&nbsp;significantly&nbsp;lower than that in the young patients (3.30%/15.93%/17.58%). Conclusion: Under the same radiotherapy pattern and radiation dosage, the injury to the neurons in the temporal lobes was significantly greater in elderly patients than&nbsp;that in young patients.&nbsp;The intervention conducted in elderly patients at a dosage of 20 Gy might help minimize the injury to the neurons.<br> &nbsp;</div> Nasopharyngeal carcinoma, radiotherapy, radiation injuries, magnetic resonance spectroscopy. 363 369 http://ijrr.com/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-687&slc_lang=en&sid=1 W. Chen 7900319475328460015540 7900319475328460015540 No Department of Radiology, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou 570311, China J. Li wsdoccn@163.com 7900319475328460015541 7900319475328460015541 Yes Department of Radiology, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou 570311, China L. Hong 7900319475328460015542 7900319475328460015542 No Department of Gynacology, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou 570311, China Z. Xing 7900319475328460015543 7900319475328460015543 No Department of Radiology, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou 570311, China F. Wang 7900319475328460015544 7900319475328460015544 No Department of Radiotherapy, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou 570311, China C. Li 7900319475328460015545 7900319475328460015545 No Department of Radiology, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou 570311, China