title: Ex vivo phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy on eye bank corneas and corneal metabolic health.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since a potential exists for untoward effects on the cornea from the high magnetic fields and radio-frequency energies, and the further manipulation required for phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS), we determined the effects of this technology on tissues using paired human corneas (n = 4) meeting criteria acceptable for transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Slit-lamp biomicroscopy, pachometry, specular microscopy, and redux fluorophotometry were performed on all corneas. One cornea of each pair was examined (< 30 min) by 31P-MRS. Following 31P-MRS, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, pachometry, and redox fluorophotometry were again performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data tabulated included the 31P energy modulus (1.37 +/- 0.28), the ATP/Pi (2.92 +/- 0.59) and SP/Pi (0.76 +/- 0.04) ratios, and the intracorneal pH (7.24 +/- 0.09).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since there were no significant differences in slit-lamp biomicroscopy, endothelial density and morphometry, cell counts, and pachometric and redox fluorophotometric measurements between corneas of each pair before and after 31P-MRS analysis, it was concluded that there was no detectable metabolic damage secondary to such analysis. This study suggests that MRS analysis of human eye-bank tissues does not damage the cornea metabolically and may provide a practical evaluation of the health of the cornea at the biochemical level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Greiner
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Glonek
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lass
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsubota
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Kenyon
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shimazaki
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Meneses
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirokawa
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Merchant
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hearn
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002452:Cell Count; D003315:Cornea / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology; D005125:Eye Banks; D015590:Fluorophotometry; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism*; D010759:Phosphorus Isotopes
chemical_list: D010759:Phosphorus Isotopes; D010758:Phosphorus; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate