CEST-MRI is an emerging molecular imaging technique that allows sensitive detection of endogenous or exogenous molecules containing exchangeable protons. Such labile protons can be selectively saturated by a radiofrequency (RF) pulse and subsequently transfer the saturation to the bulk water signal via proton chemical exchange, resulting in substantial sensitivity enhancement. CEST imaging has been demonstrated in mapping low-concentration metabolites such as creatine, glucose, glutamate, and changes in microenvironment properties such as temperature and pH, promising in a host of in vivo applications in various organs and diseases. A deeper understanding of the underlying CEST contrast mechanism, imaging approaches, and quantification methods allows extracting particular signal components of interest, and thus, the improvement of specificity for in vivo applications and translation to humans.

Acknowledgements

No acknowledgement found.

References

No reference found.