Redox-sensitive mapping of a mouse tumor model using sparse projection sampling of electron paramagnetic resonance

Aims This work aimed to establish an accelerated imaging system for redox-sensitive mapping in a mouse tumor model using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and nitroxyl radicals. Results Sparse sampling of EPR spectral projections was demonstrated for a solution phantom. The reconstructed three-dimensional (3D) images with filtered back-projection (FBP) and compressed sensing (CS) image reconstruction were quantitatively assessed for the solution phantom. Mouse xenograft models of a human-derived pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell line, MIA PaCa-2, were also measured for redox-sensitive mapping with the sparse sampling technique. Innovation A short-lifetime redox-sensitive nitroxyl radical (15N-labeled perdeuterated Tempone) could be measured to map the decay rates of the EPR signals for the mouse xenograft models. Acceleration of 3D EPR image acquisition broadened the choices of nitroxyl radical probes with various redox sensitivities to biological environments. Conclusion Sparse sampling of EPR spectral projections accelerated image acquisition in the 3D redox-sensitive mapping of mouse tumor-bearing legs 4-fold compared to conventional image acquisition with FBP.