Volume 57, Issue 35 pp. 11140-11162
Review

Parahydrogen-Based Hyperpolarization for Biomedicine

Prof. Dr. Jan-Bernd Hövener

Corresponding Author

Prof. Dr. Jan-Bernd Hövener

Section Biomedical Imaging, Molecular Imaging North Competence Center (MOIN CC), Department of Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 14, 24118 Kiel, Germany

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Dr. Andrey N. Pravdivtsev

Dr. Andrey N. Pravdivtsev

Section Biomedical Imaging, Molecular Imaging North Competence Center (MOIN CC), Department of Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 14, 24118 Kiel, Germany

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Dr. Bryce Kidd

Dr. Bryce Kidd

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901 USA

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Prof. C. Russell Bowers

Prof. C. Russell Bowers

Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611 USA

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Dr. Stefan Glöggler

Dr. Stefan Glöggler

Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany

Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, Von-Siebold-Strasse 3A, 37075 Göttingen, Germany

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Dr. Kirill V. Kovtunov

Dr. Kirill V. Kovtunov

International Tomography Center SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia

Department of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova St. 2, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia

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Dr. Markus Plaumann

Dr. Markus Plaumann

Department of Biometry and Medical Informatics, Otto-von-Guericke University of Magdeburg, Leipziger Strasse 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany

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Prof. Rachel Katz-Brull

Prof. Rachel Katz-Brull

Department of Radiology, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

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Dr. Kai Buckenmaier

Dr. Kai Buckenmaier

Magnetic resonance center, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tuebingen, Germany

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Prof. Alexej Jerschow

Prof. Alexej Jerschow

Department of Chemistry, New York University, 100 Washington Sq. East, New York, NY, 10003 USA

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Dr. Francesca Reineri

Dr. Francesca Reineri

Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, via Nizza 52, Torino, Italy

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Prof. Thomas Theis

Prof. Thomas Theis

Department of Chemistry & Department of Physics, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708 USA

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Prof. Roman V. Shchepin

Prof. Roman V. Shchepin

Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science (VUIIS), Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, 1161 21st Ave South, MCN AA-1105, Nashville, TN, 37027 USA

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Prof. Shawn Wagner

Prof. Shawn Wagner

Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048 USA

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Prof. Pratip Bhattacharya

Prof. Pratip Bhattacharya

Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030 USA

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Prof. Niki M. Zacharias

Prof. Niki M. Zacharias

Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030 USA

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Prof. Eduard Y. Chekmenev

Corresponding Author

Prof. Eduard Y. Chekmenev

Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), Leninskiy Prospekt 14, Moscow, 119991 Russia

Department of Chemistry, Karmanos Cancer Institute (KCI) and Integrative Biosciences (Ibio), Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202 USA

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First published: 27 February 2018
Citations: 289

Graphical Abstract

Spin doctoring: Considerable progress has been made in the past decade in the area of parahydrogen-based hyperpolarization techniques for biomedical applications. This Review provides a selective overview of these developments, covering the areas of spin physics, catalysis, instrumentation, preparation of the contrast agent, and applications.

Abstract

Magnetic resonance (MR) is one of the most versatile and useful physical effects used for human imaging, chemical analysis, and the elucidation of molecular structures. However, its full potential is rarely used, because only a small fraction of the nuclear spin ensemble is polarized, that is, aligned with the applied static magnetic field. Hyperpolarization methods seek other means to increase the polarization and thus the MR signal. A unique source of pure spin order is the entangled singlet spin state of dihydrogen, parahydrogen (pH2), which is inherently stable and long-lived. When brought into contact with another molecule, this “spin order on demand” allows the MR signal to be enhanced by several orders of magnitude. Considerable progress has been made in the past decade in the area of pH2-based hyperpolarization techniques for biomedical applications. It is the goal of this Review to provide a selective overview of these developments, covering the areas of spin physics, catalysis, instrumentation, preparation of the contrast agents, and applications.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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