Volume 133, Issue 41 pp. 22298-22319
Aufsatz

Enabling Clinical Technologies for Hyperpolarized 129Xenon Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy

Alixander S. Khan

Alixander S. Khan

Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD UK

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Rebecca L. Harvey

Rebecca L. Harvey

Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD UK

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Dr. Jonathan R. Birchall

Dr. Jonathan R. Birchall

Intergrative Biosciences (Ibio), Wayne State University, Karmanos Cancer Institute (KCI), 5101 Cass Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48202 USA

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Robert K. Irwin

Robert K. Irwin

Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD UK

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Dr. Panayiotis Nikolaou

Dr. Panayiotis Nikolaou

XeUS Technologies, Nicosia, 2312 Cyprus

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Dr. Geoffry Schrank

Dr. Geoffry Schrank

Northrup Grumman Space Systems, 45101 Warp Drive, Sterling, VA, 20166 USA

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Dr. Kiarash Emami

Dr. Kiarash Emami

Polarean Inc., Durham, NC, 27713 USA

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Dr. Andrew Dummer

Dr. Andrew Dummer

Polarean Inc., Durham, NC, 27713 USA

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Dr. Michael J. Barlow

Dr. Michael J. Barlow

Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD UK

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Prof. Boyd M. Goodson

Prof. Boyd M. Goodson

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Southern Illinois University, 1245 Lincoln Drive, Carbondale, IL, 62901 USA

Materials Technology Center, Southern Illinois University, 1245 Lincoln Drive, Carbondale, IL, 62901 USA

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Prof. Eduard Y. Chekmenev

Corresponding Author

Prof. Eduard Y. Chekmenev

Intergrative Biosciences (Ibio), Wayne State University, Karmanos Cancer Institute (KCI), 5101 Cass Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48202 USA

Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskiy Prospekt 14, Moscow, 119991 Russia

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First published: 20 May 2021
Citations: 3

Abstract

Hyperpolarization is a technique that can increase nuclear spin polarization with the corresponding gains in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals by 4–8 orders of magnitude. When this process is applied to biologically relevant samples, the hyperpolarized molecules can be used as exogenous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents. A technique called spin-exchange optical pumping (SEOP) can be applied to hyperpolarize noble gases such as 129Xe. Techniques based on hyperpolarized 129Xe are poised to revolutionize clinical lung imaging, offering a non-ionizing, high-contrast alternative to computed tomography (CT) imaging and conventional proton MRI. Moreover, CT and conventional proton MRI report on lung tissue structure but provide little functional information. On the other hand, when a subject breathes hyperpolarized 129Xe gas, functional lung images reporting on lung ventilation, perfusion and diffusion with 3D readout can be obtained in seconds. In this Review, the physics of SEOP is discussed and the different production modalities are explained in the context of their clinical application. We also briefly compare SEOP to other hyperpolarization methods and conclude this paper with the outlook for biomedical applications of hyperpolarized 129Xe to lung imaging and beyond.

Conflict of interest

B.M.G., P.N., and E.Y.C. declare a stake of ownership in XeUS Technologies LTD. K.E. and A.D. are employees of Polarean Inc.

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