Fig. 2. Metabolic study based on subsequent deuterated pyruvate and glucose injections, executed on the same PDAC-implanted mouse.

The tumor ROI is outlined by a white line in the colored ²H MRSI maps (top); red and blue lines in the metabolic concentrations curves (bottom) correspond to tumor and kidney ROIs, as outlined in the ¹H anatomic image (grayscale). Also indicated by dashed lines were the times at which the deuterated pyruvate (3.5 mg) and the glucose (15 mg) were tail vein injected; each point in the metabolic curves is spaced ~6 min apart, and all concentrations are calibrated according to the pre-injection HDO intensity. Notice the small transient instability in the HDO signal upon administering the glucose; this was observed in ~50% of the animals analyzed and its origin is unclear. The mouse was fed ad libitum.