Kamil Ugurbil

Imaging H217O distribution in a phantom and measurement of metabolically produced H217O in live mice by proton NMR

Previously we suggested a method for indirect detection of H217O via a combination of 1H spin–echo sequence and 17O decoupling. The method is based on the shortening of the water proton T2 due to the residual spin–spin coupling with the 17O nucleus, and on our finding that this shortening is abolished by applying an radio frequency field at the 17O resonance frequency. In the present work we demonstrate how the method can be used for imaging low concentrations of H217O, and report for the first time an application of this method to in vivo detection of H217O in live newborn mice, where the H217O was introduced either directly i.p. or by inhalation of 17O2 where it was formed by oxidative metabolic activity.