In vivo measurement of phosphorous markers of disease.

Phosphorus Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (31P-MRS) has been utilized to study energy, carbohydrate, and phospholipid metabolism in vitro and in vivo in live tissues non-invasively. Despite its lack of sensitivity, its application has extended to in situ human tissues and organs since proper signal localization was devised. Follow-up of phosphocreatine in neuromuscular diseases and schizophrenia and follow-up of phospholipid-related molecules in tumors are described here to demonstrate the value of 31P-MRS as an imaging technique to determine in vivo markers of disease and in the diagnosis, prognosis, and follow-up of human diseases.