Researchers Use Simple Sugar to Detect Human Brain Tumors
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and BioengineeringNIBIB-funded researchers have developed a method for imaging brain tumors using sugar. D-glucose was used to enhance MRI images of brain tumors in three patients. The method takes advantage of the fact that growing tumors consume more sugar than normal tissues. Glucose is a safer MRI alternative to commonly used metal complexes, such as gadolinium that can have side effects in kidney patients and may build-up in the tissues of individuals needing multiple MRIs.