High resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in clinical biology: application in oncology.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) technology is mainly known in medicine by the rapidly growing activity in proton imaging (MRI) and, to a lesser extent by the very promising in vivo spectroscopy (MRS). Though about forty years old, the idea of using high resolution MRS in clinical biology has been developed only recently. The in vitro high resolution MRS of body fluids, biopsy samples and surgery specimens has, however, demonstrated exciting potentialities as a multiparametric (full "biochemical profile" analysis), fast, and relatively inexpensive analytical method. Assisted by pattern recognition methods, MR spectra have already provided clinically relevant information in oncology, when the lack of highly specific and sensitive markers has to be deplored for some cancer types.