title: Detection of muscle injury in humans with 31-P magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
abstract: Strenuous exercise can result in muscle injury that may persist for 2 weeks. Our purpose was to determine if muscle injury can be detected with 31-P magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Normal subjects performed repeated lengthening contractions with either arms or legs designed to result in mild muscle injury. One hour after the arm exercise, there was a significant increase in the inorganic phosphate to phosphocreatine ratio (Pi/PCr), with the maximum increase in Pi/PCr occurring 1 day postexercise (0.12 +/- 0.01 to 0.21 +/- 0.05). Pi/PCr remained elevated for 3-10 days. Similar results were seen following the leg exercise protocol. ATP/(Pi + PCr) decreased in all the arm exercised subjects. Exercise protocols that did not contain lengthening contractions did not result in changes of Pi/PCr or ATP/(Pi + PCr). Patients with various neuromuscular diseases with evidence of muscle damage (elevated CK, muscle soreness, and histopathological findings) also showed increased Pi/PCr at rest. We conclude that elevated Pi/PCr at rest can reflect nonspecific muscle damage in normal and diseased subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochem/Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104.
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: McCully
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Argov
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Boden
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Bank
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chance
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009132:Muscles / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000032:analysis; D010725:Phosphocreatine / Q000032:analysis; D005082:Physical Exertion
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates; D010725:Phosphocreatine