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Deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance measurements of blood flow and tissue perfusion employing /sup 2/H/sub 2/O as a freely diffusible tracer

Journal Article · · Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States)

The use of deuterium oxide (/sup 2/H/sub 2/O) is proposed as a freely diffusible nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) blood flow and tissue perfusion tracer of potential clinical utility. Deuterium is a stable, nonradiative isotope commercially available as /sup 2/H/sub 2/O at enrichment levels of essentially 100%-i.e., 110 molar equivalent deuterium. This high concentration, together with the short relaxation time of the spin 1 (quadrupole) deuterium nuclide, provides substantial sensitivity for NMR spectroscopy. As a result, when /sup 2/H/sub 2/O is administered in a bolus fashion to a specific tissue or organ in vivo, the deuterium NMR intensity time course can be analyzed, using mathematical models developed by others for radiolabeled tracers, to measure the rate of blood flow and tissue perfusion. Such an application is demonstrated herein at a static magnetic field of 8.5 tesla. Using single-compartment flow modeling, hepatic blood flow and tissue perfusion in fasted (18 hr) male Sprague-Dawley rats was determined to be 61 +/- 17 (mean +- SD) ml/100 g per min (n = 5).

Research Organization:
Washington Univ. School of Medicine, St. Louis
OSTI ID:
5354035
Journal Information:
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States), Journal Name: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States) Vol. 84:12; ISSN PNASA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English