Abstract #1872

Zhang Z, Fishbein K, Dell'Agnola C, Sollott S, Boheler K, Juhaszova M, Lakatta E, Spencer R

Labeling of cells with superparamagnetic iron oxide particles permits cell tracking by 1H MRI while 31P MRS allows non-invasive evaluation of cellular bioenergetics. We evaluated the compatibility of these two techniques by obtaining 31P NMR spectra of iron-labeled and unlabeled, immobilized HeLa and myoblast cells in vitro. Broadened but usable 31P spectra were obtained, although distortions to metabolite peak area ratios often occurred with cell labeling, particularly for HeLa cells. We conclude that the distortion of peak widths and areas by iron oxide labeling is probably influenced by the inhomogeneous loading of particles among labeled cells.