Deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the developmental pattern of tumour blood flow

Abstract

³¹P Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy has been used by various workers to study tumour bioenergetic status and also to monitor tumour response to various therapeutic modalities such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hyperthermia. Many of the observations reported may be explained by changes in tumour perfusion and oxygenation [1–3]. Recently non-invasive ²H NMR spectroscopy techniques, measuring uptake or clearance of D₂0, have been introduced, thus enabling repetitive estimation of tumour blood flow [4, 5]. Also, imaging the distribution of uptake of this stable, flow-limited tracer provides an indication of vascular competency across a tumour [6]. In the present study we have combined ²H imaging of D₂0 uptake with localized ³¹P spectroscopy to make serial measurements of tumour blood flow and bioenergetic status during the growth of a transplantable rat fibrosarcoma in order to examine whether there are significant changes in metabolism and perfusion as a tumour enlarges.