Nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation times for tissues of mice given radioprotective compounds.

The pharmacological actions of chemical radioprotective substances (superoxide dismutase, cysteamine, beta-aminoethylisothiouronium Br-HBr, and propylene glycol) on mouse tissues were studied by measurement of proton NMR relaxation times. Changes in 1/T1 and 1/T2 values were observed but could not be correlated in any simple manner with the radioprotective actions of the administered compounds. Small but statistically significance correlations between water content and 1/T1 or 1/T2 value were observed.