Detection of Exercised Induced Changes in Creatine Level in Human Calf Muscles Through CEST: A Preliminary Study

Mohammad Haris¹, Kejia Cai¹, Anup Singh¹, Ravi Prakash Reddy Nanga¹, C Damodar Reddy¹, Hari Hariharan¹, Ravinder Reddy¹

In the current study, our objective was to map the change in creatine (Cr) level in response to mild exercise at high spatial resolution in calf muscles by exploiting the chemical-exchange-saturation-transfer effect between Cr amine proton and bulk water protons (CrEST). After exercise an increase in CrEST contrast was observed in each calf muscles, which return to baseline following relaxation. We conclude that high resolution imaging of Cr is possible without any contamination from PCr. This technique may provide an opportunity to map any alteration in the [Cr] and creatine kinase reactions at high spatial resolution in muscle pathologies.