Dynamic multinuclear chemical shift imaging of tumors (H-1, F-19, P-31) during 5-Fluorouracil chemotherapy

On-line NMRS (nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) 5-Fluorouracil (5FU), a potent antitumor agent, provides unique information that makes it possible to assess its chemotherapeutic effect in human tumors by measuring the temporal and spatial distribution of 5FU on an MRI/MRS (magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance spectroscopy) system, such as the Siemens Magneton operating at Siemens 1.5/2 T. The authors have begun testing multiply tunable coils intended to allow proton image guided /sup 1/H, /sup 19/F, and /sup 31/P spectroscopy. Aspects of the design of such coils and preliminary studies are presented. It is concluded that such coils, which allow the correlative assessment of tumor status and drug biodistribution, may provide a unique new dimension monitoring and guiding drug therapy in cancer patients, and in testing new drug therapies in experimental animals.<
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