Proton-hyperpolarized contrast agents are attractive because they can be imaged on virtually any clinical MRI scanner, which is typically equipped to scan only protons rather than heteronuclei (i.e., anything besides protons, e.g., ¹³C, ¹⁵N, ¹²⁹Xe, ²³Na, etc.). Even though the lifetime of the proton spin hyperpolarization is only a few seconds, it is sufficient for inhalation and scanning of proton-hyperpolarized gas media. We demonstrate the utility of producing hyperpolarized propane gas via heterogeneous parahydrogen-induced polarization for the purpose of ventilation imaging in an excised rabbit lung model. The magnetization of protons in hyperpolarized propane gas is similar to that of tissue water protons, making it possible to rapidly perform lung ventilation imaging with a 0.35 T clinical MRI scanner. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of rapid (2 s) lung ventilation MRI in excised rabbit lungs using hyperpolarized propane gas with a 1 × 1 mm² pixel size using a 50 mm slice thickness, and a 1.7 × 1.7 mm² pixel size using a 9 mm slice thickness.

中文翻译：

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使用对氢诱导的丙烷气极化的快速肺通气 MRI


质子超极化造影剂很有吸引力，因为它们几乎可以在任何临床 MRI 扫描仪上成像，这些扫描仪通常只扫描质子而不是异核（即质子以外的任何东西，例如 ¹³C、¹⁵N、¹²⁹Xe、²³Na 等.).尽管质子自旋超极化的寿命只有几秒钟，但它足以吸入和扫描质子超极化气体介质。我们证明了通过非均相对氢诱导极化产生超极化丙烷气的效用，用于在切除的兔肺模型中进行通气成像。超极化丙烷气中质子的磁化强度与组织水质子的磁化强度相似，因此可以使用 0.35 T 临床 MRI 扫描仪快速进行肺通气成像。在这里，我们证明了使用超极化丙烷气体在切除的兔肺中快速 （2 s） 肺通气 MRI 的可行性，该气体具有 1 × 1 mm 2 像素大小，使用 50 mm 切片厚度，以及 1.7 × 1.7 mm² 像素大小，使用 9 mm 切片厚度。