MR imaging relaxometry allows noninvasive characterization of in vivo differentiation of muscle precursor cells.

Purpose: To demonstrate the feasibility of in vivo monitoring of the myogenic differentiation process from human muscle precursor cells to mature skeletal muscle tissue by measuring characteristic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging relaxation and diffusion properties as a potential noninvasive diagnostic tool in muscle cell therapy.

Materials And Methods: The study was approved by the ethics committee for studies in humans and the animal care committee. The hypothesis was tested by means of subcutaneous injection of human muscle precursor cells from the rectus abdominis muscle into nude mice (n = 18).