Diabetes induced renal urea transport alterations assessed with 3D hyperpolarized 13 C, 15 N-Urea

In the current study, we investigated hyperpolarized urea as a possible imaging biomarker of the renal function by means of the intrarenal osmolality gradient. Hyperpolarized three-dimensional balanced steady state C MRI experiments alongside kidney function parameters and quantitative polymerase chain reaction measurements was performed on two groups of rats, a streptozotocin type 1 diabetic group and a healthy control group. A significant decline in intrarenal steepness of the urea gradient was found after 4 weeks of untreated insulinopenic diabetes in agreement with an increased urea transport transcription. MRI and hyperpolarized [ C, N]urea can monitor the changes in the corticomedullary urea concentration gradients in diabetic and healthy control rats. Magn Reson Med 77:1650-1655, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.