Determination of NMR T2 relaxation from linewidths of metabolite peaks of healthy, cancerous ans diabetic blood and urine samples

The resolution capability and advanced shimming techniques of today's high field NMR machines have minimized magnetic field homogeneity. In parallel, the derivation of T2 from NMR peak half-width measurements has become more common in recent years. For these reasons, NMR peak half-width comparisons of healthy and diseased cases may be of clinical importance for the medical applications of NMR, MRS and MRI. The aim of this thesis is to calculate the NMR peak half-widths of the metabolite peaks of healthy and cancerous blood and urine samples and to derive T2 relaxation times from these widths. 29 cancer, diabetic and normal blood samples and 29 cancer, diabetic and normal urine samples used in this study were obtained from the Obstetrics and Gynecology Units of Diyarbakır Memorial Hospital. Samples were stored at -20 degrees. During the measurements, the samples were thawed at room temperature. Before NMR measurements, the mixture was obtained by adding 0.02 mL of fluid to 0.98 mL of D2O of each blood sample and 0.06 mL of each urine sample to 0.94 mL of D2O. Each mixture was transferred to 5 mm diameter NMR tubes. NMR measurements were performed using a 400 MHz BRUKER AVENCE NMR spectrometer and a single pulse sequence (90 degree pulse application). 16 scans were selected for each measurement. The measurements were carried out at (20 ± 1)oC. Blood Peaks: Large blood peaks occur at 0.9 ppm, 1.2 ppm and 2.8 ppm and the peak half width is around 0.1 ppm. Narrow blood peaks appear at 2.4, 3.4 and 3.6 ppm values and the peak half width is around 0.01ppm. The peaks in other ppm are medium-wide peaks and the half width is around 0.05 ppm on average. While narrow and wide peak half widths do not change from group to group, medium peak widths may vary from group to group. Urine Peaks: Half width of all urine peaks is around 0.02 ppm. These peaks occur at 0.9-0.1 ppm, 2.1 ppm, 2.9ppm and 3.9 ppm values for all groups. The peak at 3.15 ppm is more common in the diabetes group. Peaks of 3.3ppm, 3.6ppm, 5.1ppm and 5.6ppm either do not occur in different groups or occur infrequently. This study, which was carried out without using water-suppression techniques, shows that line width measurements, especially in urine samples, have the potential to distinguish between normal and diseased states.