Evaluation of Exercise Muscle Energetics by NMR

Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is superior to ultrasonography and X-CT especially in density resoiution in soft tissue. 31P NMR provides information on metabolism, IA'hich has not been obtained in vivo by conventional methods, such as phosphocreatine (PCr), inorganic phosphate (Pi), ATP, and intracellular pH. We used MRI and <31>^PNMR spectroscopy to study skeletal muscle metabolism of human and rat. These NMR results suggested that l) estimatlon of muscle fiber composition, 2) evaluation of muscle ATP turnover and 3) imaging of local muscle fatigue are possible.