Magnetization transfer measurements of exchange between hyperpolarized [1‐13C]pyruvate and [1‐13C]lactate in a murine lymphoma

Measurements of the conversion of hyperpolarized [1‐13C]pyruvate into lactate, in the reaction catalyzed by lactate dehydrogenase, have shown promise as a metabolic marker for the presence of disease and response to treatment. However, it is unclear whether this represents net flux of label from pyruvate to lactate or exchange of isotope between metabolites that are close to chemical equilibrium. Using saturation and inversion transfer experiments, we show that there is significant exchange of label between lactate and pyruvate in a murine lymphoma in vivo. The rate constants estimated from the magnetization transfer experiments, at specific points during the time course of label exchange, were similar to those obtained by fitting the changes in peak intensities during the entire exchange time course to a kinetic model for two‐site exchange. These magnetization transfer experiments may therefore provide an alternative and more rapid way of estimating flux between pyruvate and lactate to serial measurements of pyruvate and lactate 13C peak intensities following injection of hyperpolarized [1‐13C]pyruvate. Magn Reson Med 63:872–880, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.