Comparison of Hyperpolarized [1-13C] Dehydroascorbate-MR and FDG-PET in a Transgenic Prostate Cancer Model

Kayvan R. Keshari¹, Victor Sai¹, Kristen Scott¹, John Kurhanewicz¹, Henry F. VanBrocklin¹, David M. Wilson¹

We have developed a new in vivo redox sensor, hyperpolarized [1-13C] dehydroascorbate (DHA), the oxidized form of Vitamin C. This probe is rapidly taken into the cell via glucose (GLUT) transporters and then reduced to ascorbate (VitC), to a greater extent in transgenic prostate (TRAMP) tumor than the normal gland. Since [1-13C] DHA has an essentially identical transport mechanism to 2-18F-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG), we speculated the two techniques might have significant overlap. DHA-MR and FDG-PET studies were performed in a cohort of TRAMP mice at identical time points revealing similar ability to distinguish between tumor and surrounding benign tissue.