MR Spectroscopy
None
Diagnosis and treatment of metabolic disorders
Distinguishing between malignant and benign tissue
None
Detection of disease and abnormalities treatment monitoring
Conventional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging measures signals emitted by hydrogen nuclei from small voxels that have been selected by spatial variations in frequency and phase.
In addition to the detailed anatomical images provided through MR — including organs, soft tissues, bone and virtually all other internal body structures —two molecular MR technologies provide additional information on biochemical activity: MR spectroscopy (MRS) and MR with contrast agents.
MRS can extract information regarding the concentration of chemical compounds inside the body. MRS is used to measure metabolites such as choline-containing compounds, creatine, inositol, glucose, N-acetyl aspartate and alanine and lactate, as well as drugs such as chemotherapeutic agents. MRS can generate and present data in two ways, including:
Although MRS is primarily used in research, it has the potential to provide useful clinical information helpful in the diagnosis and treatment of disease, including:
As research tool, MRS has provided important insights into disease, improving our understanding of the biochemistry of some disease states.
MRS is currently being used to investigate a number of diseases, including cancer of the brain, breast and prostate, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s Chorea, diabetes, and certain inflammatory and ischemic diseases.
MR with molecular contrast agents
Molecular, or targeted, MR uses iron oxide contrast agents that consist of suspended colloids of iron oxide nanoparticles. Such agents reduce the native T2 relaxation times within tissues where they are localized. In addition to cellular imaging for the detection of disease and abnormalities and for monitoring treatment response, MR with molecular contrast agents may also be used therapeutically for drug delivery.
Agents used include:
Primarily animal research but human clinical trials are expected within the next five years.
Clinical trials using MR cell tracking have been published and others are underway.
Combined MR/PET scanners will offer the ability to combine PET radiotracer studies with structural MR imaging, and either MR spectroscopy or MR with MR contrast agents with PET and MRI data being correlated both spatially and temporally.