Emerging Tools for the Improved In Vivo Metabolic MRI Characterization of Cancer

On November 8, 2024, Euro-BioImaging hosts the Cancer Metabolism Series in collaboration with the International Society of Cancer Metabolism (ISCaM). This series of lectures takes place once a month during the Virtual Pub, bringing together speakers from the cancer metabolism field with imaging experts from the Euro-BioImaging network, for exchange with enthusiasts from the biological & biomedical imaging fields in the Virtual Pub audience. Our speaker on November 8 is Prof. Lucio Frydman, Weizmann Institute, on "Emerging Tools for the Improved In Vivo Metabolic MRI Characterization of Cancer."

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Abstract

NMR spectroscopy is a prime method for identifying chemically distinct sites in complex environments. When combined with MRI's spatial localization abilities it leads to Magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI), a technique that enables the monitoring of biochemical processes in living organisms. MRSI has opened valuable opportunities to study in vivo metabolic changes associated with health and disease and could complement traditional techniques like 1H MRI, which offers contrast through parameters such as T1, T2, and water diffusivity. A main challenge for MRSI, however, is overcoming NMR's sensitivity limitations; solutions being tested to achieve this have involved hyperpolarized 13C and 2H MRSI. We will show our results when applying these methods to pancreatic cancer research in animal models, yielding unique insights and potentially improving diagnostic accuracy over other techniques.