[Proton spectroscopy of the lower leg muscles before and after exercise]

The aim of this study was to at tempt to assess the suitability of proton spectroscopy (1HMRS) in deter mining the metabolic state of the lower leg muscles in healthy volunteers before and after intense exercise. 30 healthy volunteers participated in the study, performed on a 1.5T MR scanner using a point-resolved spectroscopy (PRESS) sequence. VOI (Volume of Interest) was localized in the tibialis anterior and soleus muscle lower leg. The data were processed using GE spectroscopy tools. We analyzed on all MR spectra the following metabo lits: intramyocellular lipids (IMCL), extramyocellular lipids (EMCL), carnitine (Ct), creatine (Cr), choline (Cho), trimethylamines (TMA), glucose (Glc), taurine (Tau) and lactate (Lac). We compared the resultant intensity ratios using t - test. Based on statistical analysis of results, there was no si gnificant difference between average value of relative (WSS) (p<0.05) before and after exercise for either the tibialis anterior muscle or soleus muscle. Only the division of the research group into subgroups showed statistical differences. For the tibialis anterior (TA) showed an increase in the TMA subgroup of male group, volunteers whom doing sport occasionally and non smoking. Ct decrease in subgroup volunteers whom exercise time was exactly 20 minutes. For soleus muscle (SOL) increase IMCL(CH2) in subgroup of volunteers whom exercise time was exactly 20 minuts and non smoking. In the subgroup of volunteers doing sports professionally Ct increase after exercise. 1HMRS allows noninvasive studies of muscle metabolism before and after exercises.