Electron paramagnetic resonance oxygen mapping (EPROM): direct visualization of oxygen concentration in tissue

Tissue oxygen content is a central parameter in physiology but is difficult to measure. We report a novel procedure for spatial mapping of oxygen by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) utilizing a spectral-spatial imaging data set, in which an EPR spectrum is obtained from each image volume element. From this data set, spatial maps corresponding to local spin density and maximum EPR spectral line amplitude are generated. A map of local EPR spectral linewidth is then computed. Because linewidth directly correlates with oxygen concentration, the linewidth image provides a map of oxygenation. This method avoids a difficulty inherent in other oxygen content mapping techniques using EPR, that is, the unwanted influence of local spin probe density on the image. We provide simulation results and data from phantom studies demonstrating the validity of this method. We then apply the method to map oxygen content in rat tail tissue and vasculature. This method provides a new, widely applicable, approach to direct visualization of oxygen concentration in living tissue. Magn Reson Med 43:804-809, 2000.