Research Group Metabolic Imaging

Non-invasive and non-radioactive nature, MRI/MRS provides an ideal approach for diabetes research in humans and animal models

By virtue of its non-invasive and non-radioactive nature, in vivo magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy (MRI/MRS) provides an ideal approach for diabetes research in humans and animal models. Particularly, recent technical advances of in vivo MRI and MRS have made it possible to further understand human metabolism, such as in vivo glycogen metabolism and ATP flux in real time, which may be quite difficult to be assessed by other methodologies. Currently, MRI and MRS methods have been recognized as one of the most powerful tools in diabetes and metabolism research in vivo.

Aims

• Utilization of in vivo MRS and MRI in order to further unravel the pathogenesis and etiology of diabetes and metabolism diseases, such as mechanisms of insulin resistance
• Development of new MR techniques to comprehensively understand questions related to diabetes and metabolic diseases

In essence, we will assess content of visceral, muscular and liver fat, ATP and glycogen in liver and muscle, and ATP flux in the tissue in vivo, in conjunction with specific physiologic questions. The state-of-the-art 3T human Philips scanner at DDZ will be fully dedicated for this type of research. Primarily, we will focus on multinuclear spectroscopy [P-31 and C-13 MRS], and also employ additional effective imaging modalities if needed.

Moreover we will extend our research interests to applications and development of new MR methods for the brain, heart and other organs, in order to shed light on the connection between brain and body in diabetes research.