Abstract #0656

Simultaneous Examination of Metabolism and Perfusion of Embolized Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Rats by Hyperpolarized Fumarate and Copolarization of Pyruvate and Urea

Stephan Dwel¹,², Markus Durst¹,³, Concetta V. Gringeri³, Yvonne Kosanke⁴, Claudia Gross⁴, Martin A. Janich³, Markus Schwaiger⁵, Axel Haase¹, Steffen J. Glaser², Rolf F. Schulte³, Rickmer Braren⁴, Marion I. Menzel³

¹Institute of Medical Engineering, Technische Universitt Mnchen, Garching, Germany; ²Chemistry, Technische Universitt Mnchen, Garching, Germany; ³GE Global Research, Garching, Germany; ⁴Institute of Radiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universitt Mnchen, Mnchen, Germany; ⁵Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universitt Mnchen, Mnchen, Germany

Real-time in-vivo studies of energy metabolism can be realized through 13C MRSI of hyperpolarized pyruvate and its metabolites. Simultaneously, tumor perfusion can independently be investigated by the injection of hyperpolarized urea, whereas cell necrosis can be studied by the production of malate from hyperpolarized fumarate. We compared the perfusion information given by hyperpolarized [1,4-¹³C₂]fumarate, [1-¹³C]pyruvate and [¹³C,¹⁵N₂]urea in a group of five rats exhibiting HCC before and after TAE. We have shown that hyperpolarized urea, pyruvate and fumarate all provide consistent information on tumor perfusion. This was quantified by calculating the structural similarity index between images of different substances.