Co-Hyperpolarized [13C,15N2]urea + [1-13C]pyruvate for Perfusion and Metabolic Imaging of the Abdomen in Healthy Volunteers

[13C,15N2]urea and [1-13C]pyruvate were polarized together using dynamic nuclear polarization and simultaneously injected into healthy volunteers for simultaneous imaging of metabolism and perfusion in the abdomen. Whole-abdomen images were successfully obtained and the distribution of urea was compared to pyruvate and its metabolites. While the relative intensity in various organs were similar between urea and pyruvate, the temporal courses were different. This represents the first use of co-polarized pyruvate and urea in the human abdomen, and will be a powerful potential tool for simultaneous imaging of perfusion and metabolism in tumors and metabolic diseases.