Science to Practice: Hyperpolarized Metabolic MR Imaging--The Light at the End of the Tunnel for Clinical (13)C MR Spectroscopy?

Abstract

Hyperpolarized metabolic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging offers greatly enhanced sensitivity to multinuclear MR spectroscopy, opening up a new tool with which to noninvasively assess metabolic changes in the diseased heart. In this issue of Radiology, O h-Ici et al ( 1 ) have demonstrated this ability by exploring the metabolic changes that occur in the setting of ischemia-reperfusion. They have shown the acute metabolic alterations that occur immediately after reperfusion (increased anaerobic and decreased oxidative metabolism) that then normalize over the following 60 minutes. This demonstration paves the way for the use of hyperpolarized metabolic MR imaging in the assessment of coronary artery disease in humans and shows the potential for this new tool to aid in the assessment of the diseased heart.