Whole-abdomen imaging with hyperpolarized 13C is challenging due to B0 and B1 inhomogeneities, respiratory motion, and broad spatial coverage. There is also little baseline data about healthy metabolism in abdominal organs. We develop and describe a reliable imaging method to overcome these challenges, enabling metabolic imaging of the entire abdomen in a series of healthy volunteers. We establish normal values for conversion of HP [1-13C]pyruvate to lactate and alanine in key organs such as the liver, kidneys, pancreas, and spleen. Methods established here set a firm foundation for investigating a broad spectrum of metabolic and neoplastic abnormalities in the liver.
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