Development and optimization of human deuterium MRSI at 3 T in the abdomen: feasibility in renal tumors following oral heavy water administration

Purpose To establish and optimize abdominal deuterium MRSI in conjunction with orally administered 2H-labelled molecules.

A flexible transmit-receive surface coil was used to image naturally abundant deuterium signal in phantoms and healthy volunteers and after orally administered 2H2O in a patient with a benign renal tumor (oncocytoma).

Water and lipid peaks were fitted with high confidence from both unlocalized spectra and from voxels within the liver, kidney, and spleen on spectroscopic imaging. Artifacts were minimal despite the high 2H2O concentration in the stomach immediately after ingestion, which can be problematic with the use of a volume coil.

We have shown the feasibility of abdominal deuterium MRSI at 3 T using a flexible surface coil. Water measurements were obtained in healthy volunteers and images were acquired in a patient with a renal tumor after drinking 2H2O. The limited depth penetration of the surface coil may have advantages in characterizing early uptake of orally administered agents in abdominal organs despite the high concentrations in the stomach which can pose challenges with other coil combinations. Competing Interest Statement Rolf Schulte is an employee of GE Healthcare Funding Statement This research was supported by Cancer Research UK (EDDPMA-May22/100068, C19212/A27150), the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre, the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre (BRC-1215-20014), and the Marmaduke-Sheild Fund. MM acknowledges additional support from the Cambridge Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, PW from the Gates Cambridge Trust (#OPP1144), JB from the National Cancer Imaging Translational Accelerator (NCITA). Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee number: 23/YH/0127 (healthy volunteers) East of England - Cambridge East REC: 22/EE/0136 (patient with oncocytoma) I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes Data Availability All data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors