Definition

A deuterium metabolic imaging (DMI) agent composed of acetate labeled with the non-radioactive deuterium (2H, D) isotope, with potential metabolic imaging activity upon DMI via magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Upon administration of 2H-labeled acetate, the acetate is metabolized, and both the deuterium-labeled acetate and the deuterium-containing metabolites can be imaged by MRS. Since some tumor cells metabolize acetate faster and through different pathways than normal cells, this agent may help assess metabolic tumor pathways, tumor burden and response to treatment.