Quantitative kinetic modelling and mapping of cerebral glucose transport and metabolism using glucoCESL MRI

Chemical-exchange spin-lock (CESL) MRI can map regional uptake and utilisation of glucose in the brain at high spatial resolution (i.e sub 0.2 mm(3) voxels). We propose two quantitative kinetic models to describe glucose-induced changes in tissue R(1ρ) and apply them to glucoCESL MRI data acquired in tumour-bearing and healthy rats. When assuming glucose transport is saturable, the maximal transport capacity (T(max)) measured in normal tissue was 3.2 ± 0.6 µmol/min/mL, the half saturation constant (K(t)) was 8.8 ± 2.2 mM, the metabolic rate of glucose consumption (MR(glc)) was 0.21 ± 0.13 µmol/min/mL, and the cerebral blood volume (v(b)) was 0.006 ± 0.005 mL/mL. Values in tumour were: T(max) = 7.1 ± 2.7 µmol/min/mL, K(t) = 14 ± 1.7 mM, MR(glc) = 0.22 ± 0.09 µmol/min/mL, v(b) = 0.030 ± 0.035 mL/mL. T(max) and K(t) were significantly higher in tumour tissue than normal tissue (p = 0.006 and p = 0.011, respectively). When assuming glucose uptake also occurs via free diffusion, the free diffusion rate (k(d)) was 0.061 ± 0.017 mL/min/mL in normal tissue and 0.12 ± 0.042 mL/min/mL in tumour. These parameter estimates agree well with literature values obtained using other approaches (e.g. NMR spectroscopy).