Proton NMR relaxation times in the peripheral blood or cancer patients

Abstract

The proton spin lattice relaxation time (T₁) of serum and leucocytes of cancer patients and normal volunteers was measured using pulsed NMR techniques. There was no statistically significant difference in the serum T₁ values of cancer patients relative to normal. An increase in T₁ relative to normal values was detected in the white blood cells of patients with active leukaemia. In these patients T₁ fell to normal levels after the initiation of treatment. The variation of leucocyte T₁ with the course of the disease for five patients having leukaemia is presented.