title: Monitoring pharmacokinetics of anticancer drugs: non-invasive investigation using magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
abstract: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) offers the unique advantage of detecting, identifying and quantifying chemicals deep within the living body in a totally non-invasive manner. In studies on pharmacology and toxicology of anticancer drugs, MRS and the closely related technique magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have many uses. MRS in particular, despite its low sensitivity, offers unique insights into pharmacokinetics (the changing concentration of the drug at its site of action) which can be monitored, and metabolism (both activation and detoxification) can be detected in real time. This review considers some recent work on (19)F, (31)P, (1)H and (13)C MRS of anticancer drugs. Future possibilities for (13)C MRS and (1)H MRS studies of drugs and their metabolites are considered in detail.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Campaign Biomedical Magnetic Resonance Research Group, St George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK. j.griffiths@sgms.ac.uk
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Glickson
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D000077204:Temozolomide
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D003606:Dacarbazine; D005472:Fluorouracil; D000077204:Temozolomide