Evaluating Glucose Uptake in Brown Adipose Tissue by In-Vivo GlucoCEST MRI

Motivation: The project assessed the glucose uptake in brown adipose tissue (BAT) without using ionizing radiation since current methods, such as PET, have safety risks. Goal(s): In a preclinical study we investigated whether chemical exchange saturation transfer MRI (CEST-MRI) could quantify the uptake of exogenous glucose in BAT. Approach: We utilized CEST-MRI to monitor and analyze the glucose uptake in 6 mice following intravenous (i.v.) and intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of glucose. Results: GlucoCEST MRI successfully detected glucose uptake in BAT and revealed distinct glucose kinetics after i.v. and i.p. administration. Impact: GlucoCEST is a promising radiation-free technique to measure relative glucose uptake in BAT, which can be used to investigate BAT activity e.g. in metabolic diseases. Additionally, it can provide further insight into BAT function and pharmacological activation.