Simultaneous determination of muscle 31P and O2 uptake kinetics during whole body NMR spectroscopy.

Our understanding of O2 uptake (VO2) control mechanisms during exercise may be improved by the simultaneous determination of the kinetics of intramuscular high-energy phosphate turnover and pulmonary VO2. We therefore developed a technique for remote gas-exchange analysis while subjects exercised in a whole body 1.5-T NMR system. Knee-extension exercise was performed against restraining rubber bands in the prone position. Free induction decays were acquired every 1,875 ms by using a transmit-receive coil, which was placed under the quadriceps. This allowed 31P spectra of intramuscular ATP, Pi, and creatine phosphate dynamics to be determined every 15 s. Airflow was measured with a custom-designed turbine and a 45-ft.-long cable to reach the volume-measuring module. This was located in an adjacent radio-frequency-shielded room, as was the respiratory mass spectrometer, which also used a 45-ft.-long sampling line. The respired gas profiles were not discernibly different from those that used the standard inlet; the increase in the delay was readily incorporated into the breathby-breath algorithm, allowing the VO2 kinetics to be determined in concert with those of intramuscular phosphate metabolism.