In vivo F-19 NMR chemical-shift imaging of Ancistrocladus species

F-19 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging and F-19 NMR chemical-shift i maging (F-19 CSI) have been used to localize fluorinated compounds administ ered to stems of Ancistrocladus heyneanus and A. abbreviatus for the elucid ation of biosynthetic pathways in living plants. This first application of F-19 CSI on plants proved CSI to be a valuable technique for mapping fluori nated molecules in plants. Exemplarily using trifluoroacetate as a model co mpound allowed to select appropriate feeding methods and to optimize both c oncentration and duration of the application to the plant. The time course of the uptake and distribution of trifluoroacetate was monitored by both F- 19 imaging and F-19 CSI. Fluorinated metabolites formed by uptake of 3-fluo ro-3-deoxy-D-glucose were detected with F-19 CSI.