# Non-invasive Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Glycogen in the Human Liver

> **NIH NIH R21** · ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI · 2024 · $253,500

## Abstract

Project Summary
The liver is responsible for maintaining blood glucose homeostasis. It is able to deposit large amounts of glucose in the
form of glycogen and release glucose rapidly from its glycogen storage when needed. The hepatic glycogen metabolism
maybe altered in diseases such as glycogen storage disorders, diabetes mellitus, and liver cirrhosis. Liver biopsy allows
direct quantification of glycogen concentration, but it is highly invasive and cannot easily be repeated. 13C nuclear
magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy provides a non-invasive way to detect glycogen in the liver, but it is not
clinically feasible due to the requirement of specialized imaging hardware. Recently, we have discovered a new contrast
mechanism that allows the detection of glycogen based on its nuclear Overhauser enhancement (GlycoNOE). This
method enables us to detect glycogen in vivo using standard MRI hardware. In our initial mice study, we found a linear
relationship between glycoNOE signal and glycogen concentration and demonstrated that the change in liver glycogen
could be measured dynamically. In this project, we aim to develop a new imaging technique to utilize this contrast
mechanism in the human liver. To achieve this we will (1) develop and optimize a fast, 3D free-breathing, fat-water
separated imaging approach that is suitable for glycoNOE detection in the human liver; (2) compare the NOE signal
measured at fed and fasting state to validate that the change in signal reflects the change in glycogen content; and (3)
dynamically measure the change of glycogen upon glucagon injection, which further validates the glycoNOE signal and
also measures the rate of glycogen degradation. The new imaging technology will be applicable to brain and body
imaging based on the nuclear Overhauser enhancement / chemical exchange processes. By providing a non-invasive,
real time measure of the change in glycogen level in the liver, it will be possible to study glycogen metabolism in health
and in diseases such as diabetes mellitus, glycogen storage diseases, and other liver conditions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10909313
- **Project number:** 5R21AG083685-02
- **Recipient organization:** ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI
- **Principal Investigator:** Xiang Xu
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $253,500
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-01 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10909313

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10909313, Non-invasive Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Glycogen in the Human Liver (5R21AG083685-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10909313. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*