The use of phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy for the study of metabolic processes in calf muscles of patients with intermittent claudication

Phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy at rest and at static exercis e was carried out in 32 patients with intermittent claudication (age 40-60 years) and 10 healthy volunteers. In patients with decompensated peripheral circulation (ankle-brachial blood pressure index less than 0,4) phosphocre atine index and intramuscular pH at rest were lower than in control group ( 0,80 and 0,88, p<0,05, 7,04 and 7,11, p<0,01, respectively). In patients wi th stage IIb intermittent claudication phosphocreatine index and pH at rest did not differ from those in control group. However results of magnetic re sonance spectroscopy during static effort showed that in patients with stag e IIb intermittent claudication (n=12) phosphocreatine resynthesis time was significantly longer than in control group (220,0 and 53,9 sec, respective ly, p<0,01). Thus patients with stage III intermittent claudication had imp aired metabolism of leg muscles. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy at exercis e allowed to reveal metabolic derangements in patients with moderate ischem ia of lower extremities.