Abstract #1958

Can 13C MRS Be Used to Monitor Changes in Hepatic Glycogen Levels Following a Low Dose Oral Glucose Challenge?

S. Bawden¹, Mary C. Stephenson¹, Elisabetta Ciampi², J. Lane², Luca Marciani³, P Morris¹, I MacDonald⁴, Guru P. Aithal⁴, K. Hunter², Penelope A. Gowland¹

¹SPMMRC, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, Notts, United Kingdom; ²Unilever Discover, Bedford, Beds, United Kingdom; ³NDDC Biomedical Research Unit, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, Notts, United Kingdom; ⁴Medical School, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, Notts, United Kingdom

This study investigates the lower limits of sensitivity in measuring changes in hepatic glycogen levels following an oral glucose challenge using in vivo natural abundance Carbon-13 MR spectroscopy. Subjects were scanned following an overnight fast for baseline values and then hourly for five hours following either a 50g glucose dose or control using a multi-nuclear surface coil. Spectra glycogen peak areas over the timecourse were compared between groups. Changes in gastric content and liver volume we also monitored to consider other related effects. Results show that hepatic glycogen AUCs were significantly higher in the glucose challenge group compared with control.