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The Development of Time-Domain In Vivo EPR Imaging at NCI

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Abstract

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (NMR) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) discovered around the middle of the twentieth century became two of the fastest evolving spectroscopic techniques with applications starting in physics and slowly developing into playing important roles in structural organic chemistry, biology, solid state, medicine, and almost any field. NMR has been developing relatively faster than EPR due to reasons of large differences in their dynamics that will be detailed below. With the development of FT-NMR and diagnostic imaging with MRI, NMR kindled the efforts in the development of FT-EPR imaging attempts. With relentless efforts supported by the developments in electronics, fast switches, and narrow-line free electron spin probes, we are now in a position to routinely generate fast in vivo EPR images of small animals using time-domain EPR. EPR imaging holds a unique promise of quantitatively mapping the in vivo tissue oxygen distribution non-invasively. However, unlike MRI, EPRI requires the use of non-toxic bio-compatible paramagnetic spin probes. Many tumors are characterized by a hypoxic core that is highly resistant to radiation and chemotherapeutic treatment. EPRI enables fast quantitative non-invasive assessment and monitoring of tumor hypoxia. The present article is confined to the development of radiofrequency Time-domain EPR imaging developed at NCI, NIH, DHHS, USA, and some representative examples.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute of Health at the Center for Cancer Research, where the work described herein was carried out over a period of 15 years. Several visiting Fellows and post-doctoral fellows were involved too numerous to thank individually and we thank all of them. The instrumentation help throughout the course of development from Mr. Nallathambi Devasahayam is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiation Biology Branch, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA

    Murali C. Krishna

  2. Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, India

    Sankaran Subramanian

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  1. Murali C. Krishna
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  2. Sankaran Subramanian
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Correspondence to Sankaran Subramanian.

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Krishna, M.C., Subramanian, S. The Development of Time-Domain In Vivo EPR Imaging at NCI. Appl Magn Reson 52, 1291–1309 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00723-021-01369-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00723-021-01369-4

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