Magnetic resonance spectroscopy of tumors and potential in vivo clinical applications: a review.

The development of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy as an established research tool for noninvasive studies of cancer cells and for in vivo studies of tumors in animals and humans has led to the possibility that this technique may be used in the future for clinical research studies and monitoring of therapy in cancer patients in combination with magnetic resonance imaging. This article provides a brief qualitative explanation of NMR spectroscopy and then reviews the cell and animal studies detailing which biochemicals can be observed in vivo by 31P, 13C, and 1H NMR. The human studies done to date and their potential for diagnosis and monitoring of therapy are then discussed. In addition, 19F NMR spectroscopic studies of fluorinated drugs and 1H and 31P NMR studies relating to drug resistance are mentioned. The current technical limitations and developing improvements are indicated also.