Dynamic Interleaved Imaging of Hyperpolarized Metabolites for Lactate Dehydrogenase Kinetics

Kevin Kai-Chi Leung^1,2, Albert Pofu Chen³, Wilfred W. Lam¹, Angus Zoen Lau^1,2, Charles H. Cunningham^1,2

This abstract describes the use of spectral-spatial RF pulses and rapid flyback echo planar encoding techniques to acquire 13C images of pyruvate and lactate at high spatial and temporal resolution, upon the injection of hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate into in vitro lactate dehydrogenase enzyme mixture and in vivo rat model. The comparable pyruvate-to-lactate conversion time course and fit to a two-pool kinetic model obtained with dynamic imaging and MR spectroscopy demonstrate the feasibility of mapping first order enzymatic conversion rates in heterogeneous tumors and tissue types non-invasively with hyperpolarized 13C MR imaging.