Clinical diagnosis by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. If not now, when?

Abstract

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is the epitome of the high-technology, expensive diagnostic method. Extrapolation from a limited number of patient examinations and from experiments in animal models predicts a bright future for the method. However, several barriers block widespread clinical application in the near future; technical difficulties still exist but they seem to be resolvable in due course. A more serious problem is the absence of an adequate database from which to interpret the vast array of information produced by nuclear magnetic resonance. The necessary understanding of the pathologic biochemistry of disease will be frustratingly slow to appear as will the routine clinical use of magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The critical need for improved diagnostic methods will stimulate experimentation to resolve these problems.