Metabolic mapping by use of high-resolution magic angle spinning ¹H MR spectroscopy for assessment of apoptosis in cervical carcinomas

Abstract

Abstract Background High-resolution magic angle proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HR 1H MAS MRS) provides a broad metabolic mapping of intact tumor samples and allows for microscopy investigations of the samples after spectra acquisition. Experimental studies have suggested that the method can be used for detection of apoptosis, but this has not been investigated in a clinical setting so far. We have explored this hypothesis in cervical cancers by searching for metabolites associated with apoptosis that were not influenced by other histopathological parameters like tumor load and tumor cell density. Methods Biopsies (n = 44) taken before and during radiotherapy in 23 patients were subjected to HR MAS MRS. A standard pulse-acquire spectrum provided information about lipids, and a spin-echo spectrum enabled detection of non-lipid metabolites in the lipid region of the spectra. Apoptotic cell density, tumor cell fraction, and tumor cell density were determined by histopathological analysis after spectra acquisition. Results The apoptotic cell density correlated with the standard pulse-acquire spectra (p 2 to CH3 (p = 0.02). In contrast, the spin-echo spectra contained the main information on tumor cell fraction and tumor cell density (p p = 0.001) and between tumor cell density and glycerophosphocholine (GPC) concentration (p = 0.024) and ratio of GPC to choline (p Conclusion Our findings indicate that the apoptotic activity of cervical cancers can be assessed from the lipid metabolites in HR MAS MR spectra and that the HR MAS data may reveal novel information on the metabolic changes characteristic of apoptosis. These changes differed from those associated with tumor load and tumor cell density, suggesting an application of the method to explore the role of apoptosis in the course of the disease.