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Measurement of {sup 129}Xe T1 in blood to explore the feasibility of hyperpolarized {sup 129}Xe MRI

Journal Article · · Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography
 [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Brigham & Women`s Hospital, Boston, MA (United States)
  2. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (United States)

The major obstacle to the use of 129-xenon (I = {1/2}) as a new source of contrast in magnetic resonance is its low sensitivity. The hyperpolarized {sup 129}Xe-MRI technique using laser optical pumping of rubidium promises to resolve this problem. The potential of xenon-based MRI for the body tissues other than the lung air spaces depends on the {sup 129}Xe polarization lifetime (T1) in the blood at a magnetic field of commonly available clinical MRI systems. Xenon with natural abundance of {sup 129}Xe (26%) was dissolved in human blood and studied at 36{degrees}C in a 2.35 T 40 cm bore MRI spectrometer (27.6 MHz). Zeeman relaxation (T1) of six blood samples was measured by the progressive saturation method for periods of 4-8 h each. NMR spectra revealed two peaks at 216.0 ppm (A) and 194.0 ppm (B) relative to the xenon gas above the blood volume. Assignment and {sup 129}Xe T1 values were 4.5 {+-} 1 s for red blood cells (A), 0.6 {+-} 2 s for plasma (B) and 11.9 {+-} 1.6 s for xenon gas at atmospheric oxygen pressure. Xenon dissolved in distilled water appears at 189.8 ppm and has T1 = 26.3 {+-} 1.4 s. These relaxation times, though shorter than expected, are comparable to the transport time of blood, and are long enough to encourage use of hyperpolarized xenon for MRI studies in tissues, in addition to lung. 18 refs., 2 figs.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
OSTI ID:
529509
Journal Information:
Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography, Journal Name: Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 19; ISSN JCATD5; ISSN 0363-8715
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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