Non-invasive investigation of muscle function using 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy and 1H MR imaging

• Published in: Revue neurologique 2006-04, Vol.162 (4), p.467
• Main Authors: Bendahan, D, Mattei, J P, Guis, S, Kozak-Ribbens, G, Cozzone, P J
• Format: Article
• Language: fre
• Subjects: Adenosine Triphosphate - analysis; Calibration; Energy Metabolism; Equipment Design; Exercise Test; Humans; Hydrogen - pharmacokinetics; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy - instrumentation; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy - methods; Metabolism, Inborn Errors - diagnosis; Metabolism, Inborn Errors - genetics; Metabolism, Inborn Errors - metabolism; Metabolism, Inborn Errors - physiopathology; Mitochondrial Myopathies - diagnosis; Mitochondrial Myopathies - metabolism; Mitochondrial Myopathies - physiopathology; Muscle Contraction; Muscle, Skeletal - chemistry; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; Muscle, Skeletal - physiopathology; Muscular Diseases - diagnosis; Muscular Diseases - drug therapy; Muscular Diseases - physiopathology; Myositis - diagnosis; Myositis - metabolism; Myositis - physiopathology; Neuromuscular Diseases - diagnosis; Neuromuscular Diseases - metabolism; Neuromuscular Diseases - physiopathology; Phosphates - analysis; Phosphocreatine - analysis; Phosphorus Isotopes - pharmacokinetics; Rest
• ISSN: 0035-3787

31P MRS and 1H MRI of skeletal muscle have become major new tools allowing a complete non invasive investigation of muscle function both in the clinical setting and in basic research. The comparative analysis of normal and diseased muscle remains a major requirement to further define metabolic events surrounding muscle contraction and the metabolic anomalies underlying pathologies. Also, standardized rest-exercise-recovery protocols for the exploration of muscle metabolism by P-31 MRS in healthy volunteers as well as in patients with intolerance to exercise have been developed. The CRMBM protocol is based on a short-term intense exercise, which is very informative and well accepted by volunteers and patients. Invariant metabolic parameters have been defined to characterize the normal metabolic response to the protocol. Deviations from normality can be directly interpreted in terms of specific pathologies in some favorable cases. This protocol has been applied to more than 4,000 patients and healthy volunteers over a period of 15 years. On the other hand, MRI investigations provide anatomical and functional information from resting and exercising muscle. From a diagnostic point of view, dedicated pulse sequences can be used in order to detect and quantify muscle inflammation, fatty replacement, muscle hyper and hypotrophy. In most cases, MR techniques provide valuable information which has to be processed in conjunction with traditional invasive biochemical, electrophysiological and histoenzymological tests. P-31 MRS has proved particularly useful in the therapeutic follow-up of palliative therapies (coenzyme Q treatment of mitochondriopathies) and in family investigations. It is now an accepted diagnostic tool in the array of tests which are used to characterize muscle disorders in clinical routine. As a research tool, it will keep bringing new information on the physiopathology of muscle diseases in animal models and in humans and should play a role in the metabolic characterization of gene and cell therapy.