Magnetic resonance imaging of tumor glycolysis using hyperpolarized 13C-labeled glucose

One of the most likely substrates for metabolic imaging of response to treatment in cancer is glucose, but until now, using hyperpolarized 13C-labelled glucose has been problematic because of the short lifetime of the hyperpolarization in this molecule. Using [U-13C, U-2H]glucose, Tiago Rodrigues et al. now show that they are able to image its glycolytic conversion to lactate in two mouse tumor models in vivo, and that in one model, flux is markedly reduced after treatment with the chemotherapeutic drug etoposide.