IngentaConnect Molecular imaging using hyperpolarized 13C

Authors: K Golman; L E Olsson; O Axelsson; S Månsson; M Karlsson; J S Petersson

Source: British Journal of Radiology, Volume 76, Number 2, December 2003 , pp. S118-S127(1)

Publisher: British Institute of Radiology

Abstract:

MRI provides unsurpassed soft tissue contrast, but the inherent low sensitivity of this modality has limited the clinical use to imaging of water protons. With hyperpolarization techniques, the signal from a given number of nuclear spins can be raised more than 100 000 times. The strong signal enhancement enables imaging of nuclei other than protons, e.g. ¹³C and ¹⁵N, and their molecular distribution in vivo can be visualized in a clinically relevant time window. This article reviews different hyperpolarization techniques and some of the many application areas. As an example, experiments are presented where hyperpolarized ¹³C nuclei have been injected into rabbits, followed by rapid ¹³C MRI with high spatial resolution (scan time <1 s and 1.0 mm in-plane resolution). The high degree of polarization thus enabled mapping of the molecular distribution within various organs, a few seconds after injection. The hyperpolarized ¹³C MRI technique allows a selective identification of the molecules that give rise to the MR signal, offering direct molecular imaging.

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