FFC-NMR: A promise tool to discriminate infiltrative tumour cells from solid tumours: a study of three glioma mouse models

Using Fast-Field Cycling NMR (FFC-NMR), three glioma mouse models were studied to compare T₁-dispersion curves of solid tumours (U87) versus infiltrative tumours (Glio6 and Glio96). The U87 T₁-dispersion curves were found distinct from those of Glio6 and Glio96 and fitted well to the power-law model (1/T₁=γ/2π B₀^β). Statistical tests were used to find which model parameters discriminate the two tumour types. Results confirm the interest of low magnetic fields to exploit the offset parameter A, which corresponds to relaxation T₁, but specifically highlight the interest of the low-field exponent β^L parameter which give a molecular dynamic information, that is invisible by conventional NMR methods.