title: Analysis of serum by high-field proton nuclear magnetic resonance.
abstract: Improvements in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology are generating an expanding variety of medical applications. In this investigation I have used high-field proton NMR to identify and quantity endogenous and ingested substances in human serum. After addition of a small amount of 2H2O and a reference compound to a 0.4-mL specimen, spectra were recorded for 3 min in Fourier-transform mode, with use of presaturation to suppress the extremely intense H2O peak. Compounds detected at clinically significant concentrations include glucose, alcohols, acetone, organic acids, and salicylate. Less than 1 mmol/L of some of these substances could be detected. For serum containing 20--500 mg of added methanol per liter, peak area was a linear function of concentration (r = 0.998). High-field proton NMR, despite the drawback of expensive, sophisticated instrumentation, offers some unique advantages for clinical chemistry: it permits rapid, specific, nondestructive measurement of several compounds simultaneously, including some that may be inconvenient to measure by conventional means.
mesh_terms: D000138:Acidosis / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D016883:Diabetic Ketoacidosis / Q000097:blood; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007773:Lactates / Q000097:blood; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D000432:Methanol / Q000097:blood; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000097:blood; D012459:Salicylates / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007773:Lactates; D012459:Salicylates; D000431:Ethanol; D000432:Methanol; D010634:Phenobarbital