Hyperpolarized (HP) [2-13C]pyruvate MRI has great clinical potential for monitoring pyruvate-to-glutamate conversions through the TCA cycle in addition to pyruvate-to-lactate glycolytic metabolism. This new method for human molecular imaging has enabled whole brain acquisitions with sufficient signal-to-noise. Using a specialized multi-slice EPI sequence, volumetric, dynamic images of HP [2-13C]pyruvate and its downstream metabolites [5-13C]glutamate and [2-13C]lactate were acquired from healthy brain volunteers. The downfield and upfield lactate signals were acquired separately with no artifacts arising from J-coupling were observed. This work demonstrated the capability of volumetric and dynamic [2-13C]pyruvate EPI to interrogate both glycolytic and oxidative cerebral energy metabolism simultaneously.
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