Testing the Efficacy of Therapeutic Approaches with in Vivo 1H MRS of Intramyocellular Lipids in the Rat Skeletal Muscle

Heiko G. Niessen¹, Michael Neumaier¹, Thomas Kaulisch¹, Corinna Schoelch², Detlef Stiller¹

Intramyocellular lipids (IMCL) have been identified as important marker for insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes. We used in vivo MRS to evaluate the efficacy of a CB1-receptor antagonist on the muscle lipid content. MR measurements were performed using a custom-made Helmholtz coil set-up for signal reception. After a significant reduction of IMCL content upon treatment, reservoirs almost completely recover within two weeks after treatment. In addition to significant differences between control and treated rats, different time points can be distinguished by their IMCL content. IMCL data correlate with body fat content, body weight and other biochemical parameters.