13C NMR tracers in neurochemistry: implications for molecular imaging
15 pages, 7 figures.-- et al. ; An overview of 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy methods and their applications in the study of the metabolism of brain cells in vitro and in the in vivo brain is presented as well as their implications for modern molecular imaging techniques. Various topics will be discussed, such as general properties of the 13C NMR spectrum, 13C NMR spectroscopy acquisition protocols, determination of fractional 13C enrichment, 13C(2H) NMR methodologies, and the use of 13C hyperpolarized substrates for NMR spectroscopy and imaging. Some illustrative applications are described, both in vitro and in vivo. ; This work was supported by the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia SAF 2004-03197, SAF 2008-01327 ande NAN 2004-09124-C07-03 to S.C, grant S-BIO2006-170 from the Community of Madrid to S.C, fundacao para a Ciencia e Tegnologia (F.C.T). Portugal (Proyect POCTI/1999/BCI/36160), FEDER and grant MEDITRANS (FP VI 2006, EU IP NMP-02668) from the European Union. T.B.R and CPF were supported by fellowships from the Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tegnologia/Ministério da Ciencia e Ensino Superior - Portugal (SFRH/BPD/26881/2006 and PRAXIS XXI/BD/21462/99, respectively). ; Peer reviewed