Hyperpolarized [2-13C]pyruvate MR molecular imaging with whole brain coverage

Hyperpolarized (HP) 13C Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was applied for the first time to image and quantify the uptake and metabolism of [2-13C]pyruvate in the human brain to provide new metabolic information on cerebral energy metabolism. HP [2-13C]pyruvate was injected intravenously and imaged in 5 healthy human volunteer exams with whole brain coverage in a 1-minute acquisition using a specialized spectral-spatial multi slice echoplanar imaging (EPI) pulse sequence to acquire 13C-labeled volumetric and dynamic images of [2-13C] pyruvate and downstream metabolites [5-13C]glutamate and [2-13C]lactate. Metabolic ratios and apparent conversion rates of pyruvate-to-lactate (kPL) and pyruvate-to-glutamate (kPG) were quantified to investigate simultaneously glycolytic and oxidative metabolism in a single injection.

Automated summary

This study used hyperpolarized 13C magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate the metabolism of [2-13C]pyruvate in the human brain. By injecting HP [2-13C]pyruvate and using a specialized imaging sequence, the researchers were able to image and quantify the uptake and conversion of pyruvate in the brain, providing new insights into cerebral energy metabolism.