Measurements of Tumor Blood Flow Using Intraperitoneal Deuterium and 2H-NMR Spectroscopy

Tumors usually have a sparse, disorganized, and inefficient vascular network that leaves a large fraction of the tumor cells in an oxygen deprived and hostile metabolic microenvironment. Hence tumor blood flow, or more correctly nutritive perfusion, has important interactions with treatment efficacy. For example, hypoxic tumor cells, which occur in tumors with low blood flow, are less susceptible to radiation and are probably responsible for most radiation treatment failures (Adams, 1981). Similarly, cytotoxic drug delivery could be predicted by blood flow measurements, with clear implications regarding the expected success of chemotherapy. Thus, the ability to conveniently measure tumor bl…