Development of an NMR Relaxometer for Determining Magnetization Dynamics of Water Protons in Living Tissues and Its Use for Evaluating Age-Related Changes

Abstract

A desktop NMR relaxometer was created, which allows determining spin–spin relaxation times of water protons in living tissues. Spin relaxation times of protons of water reflect changes in the mean number of paramagnetic centers, since the presence of these centers increases the magnetization recovery rate of water protons in living tissues tens of times. In particular, this method allowed observing age-related changes (sarcopenia) related to substitution of connective tissue for muscle fibers. Relaxometers of this type are comfortable to use and are promising devices for analysis and diagnostics of changes and disorders of metabolic processes.