Comparison of [3,4-13C2]glucose to [6,6-2H2]glucose as a tracer for glucose turnover by nuclear magnetic resonance

A recently introduced tracer, [3,4‐13C2]glucose, was compared to the widely used tracer, [6,6‐2H2]glucose, for measurement of whole‐body glucose turnover. The rate of glucose production (GP) was measured in rats after primed infusions of [3,4‐13C2]glucose, [6,6‐2H2]glucose, or both tracers simultaneously followed by a constant infusion of tracer(s) over 90 min. Blood glucose was purified and converted into monoacetone glucose for analysis by 13C NMR (for [3,4‐13C2]glucose) or 1H and 2H NMR (for [6,6‐2H2]glucose). The values of GP measured during infusion of each single tracer were not significantly different. In rats infused with both tracers simultaneously, GP was identical as reported by each tracer, 42 ± 4 μmol/kg/min. Since 2H and 13C enrichment in glucose is typically much less than 2% for in vivo studies, [3,4‐13C2]glucose does not interfere with measurements of 13C or 2H enrichment patterns and therefore is valuable when multiple metabolic pathways are being evaluated simultaneously. Magn Reson Med 53:1479–1483, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.