Hyperpolarization using dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization has emerged as a versatile method to dramatically improve the MR signal of low-sensitivity nuclei. This technique facilitates the study of real-time metabolism in vitro and in vivo using (13)C-enriched substrates and has been applied to numerous models of human disease. In particular, several mechanisms underlying prostate cancer have been interrogated using hyperpolarized (13)C MR spectroscopy. This review highlights key metabolic shifts seen in prostate cancer, their study by hyperpolarized (13)C MR spectroscopy, and the development of new platforms for metabolic study.
Keywords: 13C-magnetic resonance; PET/MR imaging; PET/MRI; hyperpolarized 13C; metabolism; prostate; prostate cancer.
© 2014 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.