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31P NMR studies of human skin using a modified zig-zag surface coil
A G Cowie1, M E Bastin, D N Manners
1Nuffield Department of Surgery, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, UK.
NMR in Biomedicine
|August 1, 1996
Summary
This study used a zig-zag coil and Fourier Series Window (FSW) protocol for phosphorus-31 (31P) magnetic resonance spectroscopy of human skin. The combined method effectively reduced muscle signal contamination, enabling clearer skin metabolic analysis.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Biochemistry
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Phosphorus-31 (31P) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is valuable for non-invasively assessing tissue metabolism.
- Surface coils are commonly used in MRS, but muscle signal contamination can be an issue in superficial tissue studies.
- Minimizing contamination is crucial for accurate biochemical analysis of human skin.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of a zig-zag surface coil combined with a three-pulse Fourier Series Window (FSW) protocol for in vivo 31P MRS of human skin.
- To assess the degree of muscle signal contamination reduction achieved by this combined technique.
- To characterize the 31P metabolite profile of normal human posterior calf skin.
Main Methods:
- In vivo study on human posterior calf skin using a zig-zag surface coil.
- Application of a three-pulse Fourier Series Window (FSW) protocol for spatial localization.
- Phantom experiments to assess coil performance and signal contamination.
- Analysis of 31P spectra to determine pH and metabolite ratios (PCr/β-ATP, PCr/Pi).
Main Results:
- The zig-zag coil demonstrated improved B1 field fall-off compared to conventional coils, but still required additional localization.
- The FSW protocol successfully reduced muscle signal contamination to less than 30% of the total signal.
- Human skin exhibited a relatively high pH (7.39 ± 0.08).
- Skin PCr/β-ATP (1.04 ± 0.35) and PCr/Pi (1.67 ± 0.4) ratios were lower than in skeletal muscle.
- Significant signals from phosphomonoesters and phosphodiesters were detected in the skin spectra.
Conclusions:
- The combination of a zig-zag surface coil and FSW protocol is effective for obtaining minimally contaminated 31P skin spectra in vivo.
- This technique allows for the characterization of human skin's metabolic profile, revealing distinct metabolite ratios compared to muscle.
- Further research can utilize this method to investigate skin metabolic alterations in various physiological and pathological conditions.