Espectroscopía e imagen del pH intra y extracelular mediante métodos de resonancia magnética. Implicaciones clínicas

We review the different methods for measuring pH by magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy and discuss their potential diagnostic repercussions. We begin with a brief description of intra- and extracellular pH regulation in physiological and pathological conditions. Then we present the main 31P or 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy procedures, which are based on the dependence of the pH on the chemical displacements of the intrinsic intracellular inorganic phosphate or of the H2 proton of imidazole in extrinsic indicators. Finally, we describe the procedures that use magnetic resonance imaging, whose main tool is the dependence of the pH (i) on the relaxivity of certain paramagnetic contrast agents, or (ii) on the processes of magnetic transference between diamagnetic molecules (DIACEST) or paramagnetic molecules (PARACEST) and the free water in the tissues. We briefly illustrate the potential clinical applications of these new procedures.