In-vivo 31P-MRS of skeletal muscle and liver: A way for non-invasive assessment of their metabolism

In addition to direct assessment of high energy phosphorus containing metabolite content within tissues, phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (P-31-MRS) provides options to measure phospholipid metabolites and cellular pH, as well as the kinetics of chemical reactions of energy metabolism in vivo. Even though the great potential of P-31-MR was recognized over 30 years ago, modern MR systems, as well as new, dedicated hardware and measurement techniques provide further opportunities for research of human biochemistry. This paper presents a methodological overview of the P-31-MR techniques that can be used for basic, physiological, or clinical research of human skeletal muscle and liver in vivo. Practical issues of P-31-MRS experiments and examples of potential applications are also provided. As signal localization is essential for liver P-31-MRS and is important for dynamic muscle examinations as well, typical localization strategies for P-31-MR are also described. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.