基礎から臨床へ，MRを用いた代謝機能可視化の最前線

Medical imaging plays an essential role in the clinical settings in Japan.Especially, magnetic resonance imaging（MRI）that measure１H behavior is widely acceptedas indispensable apparatus for daily clinical activities and researches as both morphological andfunctional imaging.Recently, measurement techniques of other nuclides such as１３C,１８F and３１P are being developedand trying to be applied in in vivo. Of them,１３C is the most suitable nuclide to observemetabolites functions of cells or organs and has possibilities to visualize these functions in in vivothough the sensitivity is quite low in comparison with１H. Development of the technique to increasesensitivity is needed to apply in clinical settings and some methods are evaluated now.Using１３C enriched chemicals administrate to human is tried to observe metabolites function in invivo with MR Spectroscopy. Hyperpolarized technique that induces significantly increasing signalsof１３C is developed as next generation method and exploited in in vivo imaging of animals tovisualize metabolites functions.We should develop and practice these new techniques to visualize metabolites functions in invivo and it may be beyond the conventional diagnostic imaging techniques. It may induce newdiagnostic imaging technique using physiological and biochemical approach in clinical settings.