Research Terms
This non-invasive diagnostic quickly and reliably detects and monitors glucose metabolism in tissues and cancers. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death around the globe. Lactate production from glucose, even in the presence of sufficient oxygen, is a metabolic hallmark of many cancers. Current methods of measuring glucose metabolism in patients use radioactive isotopes (18FDG), but are not suitable when multiple images are needed because of the exposure to radiation in each scan. Radiation is contraindicated for use in the pediatric population. Using radioactive isotopes also requires specialized preparation and handling, requiring imaging to take place near the production site of radioisotopes because of their short half-life.
Researchers at the University of Florida have developed metabolic imaging that uses MRI technology to detect deuterated water (HDO) derived from cellular metabolism to determine if glycolysis is upregulated, an indication of cancer. This technology could lead to earlier treatment and improved patient outcomes and may have application in monitoring sepsis or diabetes and other diseases as well.
Quick, non-invasive, reliable metabolic imaging for cancer diagnosis and staging, especially in cases where multiple scans or a short time period between scans are required
This metabolic imaging uses MRI images to detect if glycolysis is upregulated in patients, an indication of cancer. Patients ingest or are injected with a glucose substrate, which is given time to metabolize before the patient undergoes imaging. When glucose is metabolized, water is a by-product and will contain deuterium (HDO). The MRI images will detect HDO to determine if glycolysis is upregulated, enabling doctors to detect, stage, and monitor cancer. Other deuterated products, such as lactate, can also be imaged and used to diagnose and monitor other diseases.
This non-invasive diagnostic imaging procedure measures fatty acid beta-oxidation, which is an indicator of early-stage non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and its precursor, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Nearly 25 percent of adults in the United States have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and up to 6.5 percent of them have the more severe form of the disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The early form of the disease usually causes no signs or symptoms, but if diagnosed early, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is treated by changes in diet, weight, and exercise routines. Once the disease progresses to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, fibrotic liver tissue accumulates at twice the rate, potentially leading to liver cirrhosis that is only treatable by a liver transplant. Unfortunately, available diagnostic tests are invasive or detect only late stages of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.
Researchers at the University of Florida have developed a non-invasive diagnostic procedure using deuterium metabolic imaging to measure fatty acid beta-oxidation for use in the detection of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and early-stage non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Deuterium metabolic imagine combines deuterium (heavy hydrogen) magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging with oral intake or intravenous infusion of nonradioactive substrates to generate 3D metabolic maps. The procedure allows for early detection of these liver diseases, which enables effective early intervention.
Non-invasive diagnostic imaging procedure for the early detection of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
This non-invasive diagnostic imaging procedure uses deuterium metabolic imaging to measure fatty acid beta-oxidation in the liver. Both non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis exhibit increased fatty acid beta-oxidation in the liver. Patients take deuterium-labeled precursors orally or intravenously, causing the patient’s liver to produce hydrogen deuterium oxide as a byproduct of fatty acid beta-oxidation. This byproduct output can be measured using magnetic resonance imaging.
