Figure 1

Apoptotic cell density (A) and tumor cell density (B) in cervical cancer biopsies after HR MAS MR spectroscopy versus the corresponding data of samples from the same tumors but not subjected to MR spectroscopy. MR spectroscopy was performed at an instrumental setting of 4°C. The HR MAS samples were fixed in formalin after spectrum acquisition, using an average time period of 1 hour 55 min from the start of the experiment to fixation. Each point represents the data of a single biopsy. The values were calculated as number of apoptotic tumor cells (A) and tumor cells (B) per mm² of tumor tissue. Lines of unity are shown. Note that there was no increase in apoptotic cell density or decrease in tumor cell density caused by the MR experiment. The increased tumor cell density (B) was probably due to a minor increase in the thickness of the histological sections from the HR MAS samples as compared to the others.