Motivation: Analysis of 2H concentration in tissue samples following heavy water (D2O) ingestion is useful for assessing body composition, lipid synthesis and protein turnover. Goal(s): Evaluate the feasibility of using 2H MRI to monitor the rapid uptake of 2H in the brain immediately following ingestion of heavy water. Approach: 3D EPI time series were acquired on three subjects after ingestion of ~100 ml of D2O. Two subjects already had elevated 2H baselines whilst the third started at natural abundance. Results: Similar time-courses of the 2H signal change in cerebrospinal fluid, grey matter and white matter were reliably measured in all subjects. Impact: This study demonstrates the feasibility of using ²H MRI to non-invasively monitor deuterium rapid changes in the distribution of deuterium label in brain tissues. This can support research on lipid synthesis, protein turnover, and other physiological processes with minimal invasiveness.
Cocking et al. (Tue,) studied this question.
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