Enhancement of solution NMR and MRI with laser-polarized xenon
- Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); and others
Optical pumping with laser light can be used to polarize the nuclear spins of gaseous xenon-129. When hyperpolarized xenon-129 is dissolved in liquids, a time-dependent departure of the proton spin polarization from its thermal equilibrium is observed. The variation of the magnetization is an unexpected manifestation of the nuclear Overhauser effect, a consequence of cross-relaxation between the spins of solution protons and dissolved xenon-129. Time-resolved magnetic resonance images of both nuclei in solution show that the proton magnetization is selectively perturbed in regions containing spin-polarized xenon-129. This effect could find use in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of surfaces and proteins and in magnetic resonance imaging. 33 refs., 5 figs.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 377248
- Journal Information:
- Science, Vol. 271, Issue 5257; Other Information: PBD: 29 Mar 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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