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Liu X, Cui D, Xu D, Bok R, Wang ZJ, Vigneron DB, Larson PEZ, Gordon JW. Dynamic T 2 * relaxometry of hyperpolarized [1- 13 C]pyruvate MRI in the human brain and kidneys. Magn Reson Med 2024; 91:1030-1042. [PMID: 38013217 PMCID: PMC10872504 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to quantifyT 2 * $$ {T}_2^{\ast } $$ for hyperpolarized [1-13 C]pyruvate and metabolites in the healthy human brain and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients at 3 T. METHODS DynamicT 2 * $$ {T}_2^{\ast } $$ values were measured with a metabolite-specific multi-echo spiral sequence. The dynamicT 2 * $$ {T}_2^{\ast } $$ of [1-13 C]pyruvate, [1-13 C]lactate, and 13 C-bicarbonate was estimated in regions of interest in the whole brain, sinus vein, gray matter, and white matter in healthy volunteers, as well as in kidney tumors and the contralateral healthy kidneys in a separate group of RCC patients.T 2 * $$ {T}_2^{\ast } $$ was fit using a mono-exponential function; and metabolism was quantified using pyruvate-to-lactate conversion rate maps and lactate-to-pyruvate ratio maps, which were compared with and without an estimatedT 2 * $$ {T}_2^{\ast } $$ correction. RESULTS TheT 2 * $$ {T}_2^{\ast } $$ of pyruvate was shown to vary during the acquisition, whereas theT 2 * $$ {T}_2^{\ast } $$ of lactate and bicarbonate were relatively constant through time and across the organs studied. TheT 2 * $$ {T}_2^{\ast } $$ of lactate was similar in gray matter (29.75 ± 1.04 ms), white matter (32.89 ± 0.9 ms), healthy kidney (34.61 ± 4.07 ms), and kidney tumor (33.01 ± 2.31 ms); and theT 2 * $$ {T}_2^{\ast } $$ of bicarbonate was different between whole-brain (108.17 ± 14.05 ms) and healthy kidney (58.45 ± 6.63 ms). TheT 2 * $$ {T}_2^{\ast } $$ of pyruvate had similar trends in both brain and RCC studies, reducing from 75.56 ± 2.23 ms to 22.24 ± 1.24 ms in the brain and reducing from 122.72 ± 9.86 ms to 57.38 ± 7.65 ms in the kidneys. CONCLUSION Multi-echo dynamic imaging can quantifyT 2 * $$ {T}_2^{\ast } $$ and metabolism in a single integrated acquisition. Clear differences were observed in theT 2 * $$ {T}_2^{\ast } $$ of metabolites and in their behavior throughout the timecourse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxi Liu
- Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Di Cui
- Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Duan Xu
- Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Robert Bok
- Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Zhen J Wang
- Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Daniel B Vigneron
- Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Graduate Program in Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley and San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Peder E Z Larson
- Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Graduate Program in Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley and San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jeremy W Gordon
- Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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Wodtke P, Grashei M, Schilling F. Quo Vadis Hyperpolarized 13C MRI? Z Med Phys 2023:S0939-3889(23)00120-4. [PMID: 38160135 DOI: 10.1016/j.zemedi.2023.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Over the last two decades, hyperpolarized 13C MRI has gained significance in both preclinical and clinical studies, hereby relying on technologies like PHIP-SAH (ParaHydrogen-Induced Polarization-Side Arm Hydrogenation), SABRE (Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange), and dDNP (dissolution Dynamic Nuclear Polarization), with dDNP being applied in humans. A clinical dDNP polarizer has enabled studies across 24 sites, despite challenges like high cost and slow polarization. Parahydrogen-based techniques like SABRE and PHIP offer faster, more cost-efficient alternatives but require molecule-specific optimization. The focus has been on imaging metabolism of hyperpolarized probes, which requires long T1, high polarization and rapid contrast generation. Efforts to establish novel probes, improve acquisition techniques and enhance data analysis methods including artificial intelligence are ongoing. Potential clinical value of hyperpolarized 13C MRI was demonstrated primarily for treatment response assessment in oncology, but also in cardiology, nephrology, hepatology and CNS characterization. In this review on biomedical hyperpolarized 13C MRI, we summarize important and recent advances in polarization techniques, probe development, acquisition and analysis methods as well as clinical trials. Starting from those we try to sketch a trajectory where the field of biomedical hyperpolarized 13C MRI might go.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Wodtke
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Klinikum rechts der Isar of Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; Department of Radiology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom; Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge UK
| | - Martin Grashei
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Klinikum rechts der Isar of Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Franz Schilling
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Klinikum rechts der Isar of Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; Munich Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
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Nagel L, Gierse M, Gottwald W, Ahmadova Z, Grashei M, Wolff P, Josten F, Karaali S, Müller CA, Lucas S, Scheuer J, Müller C, Blanchard J, Topping GJ, Wendlinger A, Setzer N, Sühnel S, Handwerker J, Vassiliou C, van Heijster FH, Knecht S, Keim M, Schilling F, Schwartz I. Parahydrogen-Polarized [1- 13 C]Pyruvate for Reliable and Fast Preclinical Metabolic Magnetic Resonance Imaging. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2303441. [PMID: 37587776 PMCID: PMC10602543 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202303441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Hyperpolarization techniques increase nuclear spin polarization by more than four orders of magnitude, enabling metabolic MRI. Even though hyperpolarization has shown clear value in clinical studies, the complexity, cost and slowness of current equipment limits its widespread use. Here, a polarization procedure of [1-13 C]pyruvate based on parahydrogen-induced polarization by side-arm hydrogenation (PHIP-SAH) in an automated polarizer is demonstrated. It is benchmarked in a study with 48 animals against a commercial dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (d-DNP) device. Purified, concentrated (≈70-160 mM) and highly hyperpolarized (≈18%) solutions of pyruvate are obtained at physiological pH for volumes up to 2 mL within 85 s in an automated process. The safety profile, image quality, as well as the quantitative perfusion and lactate-to-pyruvate ratios, are equivalent for PHIP and d-DNP, rendering PHIP a viable alternative to established hyperpolarization techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Nagel
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, TUM School of MedicineKlinikum rechts der Isar of Technical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
| | | | - Wolfgang Gottwald
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, TUM School of MedicineKlinikum rechts der Isar of Technical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
| | | | - Martin Grashei
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, TUM School of MedicineKlinikum rechts der Isar of Technical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
| | - Pascal Wolff
- NVision Imaging Technologies GmbH89081UlmGermany
| | - Felix Josten
- NVision Imaging Technologies GmbH89081UlmGermany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Geoffrey J. Topping
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, TUM School of MedicineKlinikum rechts der Isar of Technical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
| | - Andre Wendlinger
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, TUM School of MedicineKlinikum rechts der Isar of Technical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
| | - Nadine Setzer
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, TUM School of MedicineKlinikum rechts der Isar of Technical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
| | - Sandra Sühnel
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, TUM School of MedicineKlinikum rechts der Isar of Technical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
| | | | | | - Frits H.A. van Heijster
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, TUM School of MedicineKlinikum rechts der Isar of Technical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
| | | | - Michael Keim
- NVision Imaging Technologies GmbH89081UlmGermany
| | - Franz Schilling
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, TUM School of MedicineKlinikum rechts der Isar of Technical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
- Munich Institute of Biomedical EngineeringTechnical University of Munich85748GarchingGermany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK)Partner Site Munich and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)Im Neuenheimer Feld 28069120HeidelbergGermany
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Liu X, Tang S, Cui D, Bok RA, Chen HY, Gordon JW, Wang ZJ, Larson PEZ. A metabolite specific 3D stack-of-spirals bSSFP sequence for improved bicarbonate imaging in hyperpolarized [1- 13C]Pyruvate MRI. JOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE (SAN DIEGO, CALIF. : 1997) 2023; 353:107518. [PMID: 37402333 PMCID: PMC10498937 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmr.2023.107518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
13C-bicarbonate is a crucial measure of pyruvate oxidation and TCA cycle flux, but is challenging to measure due to its relatively low concentration and thus will greatly benefit from improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). To address this, we developed and investigated the feasibility of a 3D stack-of-spirals metabolite-specific balanced steady-state free precession (MS-bSSFP) sequence for improving the SNR and spatial resolution of dynamic 13C-bicarbonate imaging in hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate studies. The bicarbonate MS-bSSFP sequence was evaluated by simulations, phantoms studies, preclinical studies on five rats, brain studies on two healthy volunteers and renal study on one renal cell carcinoma patient. The simulations and phantom results showed that the bicarbonate-specific pulse had minimal perturbation of other metabolites (<1%). In the animal studies, the MS-bSSFP sequence provided an approximately 2.6-3 × improvement in 13C-bicarbonate SNR compared to a metabolite-specific gradient echo (MS-GRE) sequence without altering the bicarbonate or pyruvate kinetics, and the shorter spiral readout in the MS-bSSFP approach reduced blurring. Using the SNR ratio between MS-bSSFP and MS-GRE, the T2 values of bicarbonate and lactate in the rat kidneys were estimated as 0.5 s and 1.1 s, respectively. The in-vivo feasibility of bicarbonate MS-bSSFP sequence was demonstrated in two human brain studies and one renal study. These studies demonstrate the potential of the sequence for in-vivo applications, laying the foundation for future studies to observe this relatively low concentration metabolite with high-quality images and improve measurements of pyruvate oxidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxi Liu
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Di Cui
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Robert A Bok
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hsin-Yu Chen
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jeremy W Gordon
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Zhen J Wang
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Peder E Z Larson
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Graduate Program in Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley and San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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Skinner JG, Topping GJ, Nagel L, Heid I, Hundshammer C, Grashei M, van Heijster FHA, Braren R, Schilling F. Spectrally selective bSSFP using off-resonant RF excitations permits high spatiotemporal resolution 3D metabolic imaging of hyperpolarized [1- 13 C]Pyruvate-to-[1- 13 C]lactate conversion. Magn Reson Med 2023. [PMID: 37093981 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To develop a high spatiotemporal resolution 3D dynamic pulse sequence for preclinical imaging of hyperpolarized [1-13 C]pyruvate-to-[1-13 C]lactate metabolism at 7T. METHODS A standard 3D balanced SSFP (bSSFP) sequence was modified to enable alternating-frequency excitations. RF pulses with 2.33 ms duration and 900 Hz FWHM were placed off-resonance of the target metabolites, [1-13 C]pyruvate (by approximately -245 Hz) and [1-13 C]lactate (by approximately 735 Hz), to selectively excite those resonances. Relatively broad bandwidth (compared to those metabolites' chemical shift offset) permits a short TR of 6.29 ms, enabling higher spatiotemporal resolution. Bloch equation simulations of the bSSFP response profile guided the sequence parameter selection to minimize spectral contamination between metabolites and preserve magnetization over time. RESULTS Bloch equation simulations, phantom studies, and in vivo studies demonstrated that the two target resonances could be cleanly imaged without substantial bSSFP banding artifacts and with little spectral contamination between lactate and pyruvate and from pyruvate hydrate. High spatiotemporal resolution 3D images were acquired of in vivo pyruvate-lactate metabolism in healthy wild-type and endogenous pancreatic tumor-bearing mice, with 1.212 s acquisition time per single-metabolite image and (1.75 mm)3 isotropic voxels with full mouse abdomen 56 × 28 × 21 mm3 FOV and fully-sampled k-space. Kidney and tumor lactate/pyruvate ratios of two consecutive measurements in one animal, 1 h apart, were consistent. CONCLUSION Spectrally selective bSSFP using off-resonant RF excitations can provide high spatio-temporal resolution 3D dynamic images of pyruvate-lactate metabolic conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason G Skinner
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Geoffrey J Topping
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Luca Nagel
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Irina Heid
- Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Christian Hundshammer
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Grashei
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Frits H A van Heijster
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Rickmer Braren
- Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Franz Schilling
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Munich Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Performance and reproducibility of 13C and 15N hyperpolarization using a cryogen-free DNP polarizer. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11694. [PMID: 35803961 PMCID: PMC9270333 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15380-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The setup, operational procedures and performance of a cryogen-free device for producing hyperpolarized contrast agents using dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (dDNP) in a preclinical imaging center is described. The polarization was optimized using the solid-state, DNP-enhanced NMR signal to calibrate the sample position, microwave and NMR frequency and power and flip angle. The polarization of a standard formulation to yield ~ 4 mL, 60 mM 1-13C-pyruvic acid in an aqueous solution was quantified in five experiments to P(13C) = (38 ± 6) % (19 ± 1) s after dissolution. The mono-exponential time constant of the build-up of the solid-state polarization was quantified to (1032 ± 22) s. We achieved a duty cycle of 1.5 h that includes sample loading, monitoring the polarization build-up, dissolution and preparation for the next run. After injection of the contrast agent in vivo, pyruvate, pyruvate hydrate, lactate, and alanine were observed, by measuring metabolite maps. Based on this work sequence, hyperpolarized 15N urea was obtained (P(15N) = (5.6 ± 0.8) % (30 ± 3) s after dissolution).
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