Exchange-based NMR imaging and spectroscopy of hyperpolarized xenon-129

摘要

A method and an apparatus for using hyperpolarized xenon-129 and magnetic resonance imaging or spectroscopy as a probe to non-invasively and non-destructively characterize important properties of certain structures or materials with high spatial and temporal resolution, resulting in high-resolution magnetic resonance images wherein the associated signal intensities reflect a property of interest of at least one of the compartments. Hyperpolarized xenon-129 is introduced into two compartments between which xenon-129 can be exchanged, for example, into the blood vessels of mammal organs and the tissue of said organ or into compartments within inorganic objects. Due to chemical shift and applied magnetic field strength, the hyperpolarized xenon-129 introduced into the first compartment has a different resonant frequency from the hyperpolarized xenon-129 introduced into the second compartment. In an exemplary embodiment, a magnetic resonance system measures the magnetic resonance signal of the hyperpolarized xenon-129 in the first compartment before and after exchange of hyperpolarized xenon-129 between the first and second compartments. The resulting magnetic resonance signals are compared to determine at least one parameter of interest of at least one of the compartments.