NMR/MRI with hyperpolarized gas and high Tc SQUID

Patent · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2000

OSTI ID:873436

Schlenga, Klaus ^[1]; de Souza, Ricardo E ^[2]; Wong-Foy, Annjoe ^[3]; Clarke, John ^[3]; Pines, Alexander ^[3]

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1. Eggenstein, DE
2. Recife, BR
3. Berkeley, CA

A method and apparatus for the detection of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals and production of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from samples combines the use of hyperpolarized inert gases to enhance the NMR signals from target nuclei in a sample and a high critical temperature (Tc) superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) to detect the NMR signals. The system operates in static magnetic fields of 3 mT or less (down to 0.1 mT), and at temperatures from liquid nitrogen (77K) to room temperature. Sample size is limited only by the size of the magnetic field coils and not by the detector. The detector is a high Tc SQUID magnetometer designed so that the SQUID detector can be very close to the sample, which can be at room temperature.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• Assignee: Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 6159444
• OSTI ID: 873436
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

nmr
mri
hyperpolarized
gas
tc
squid
method
apparatus
detection
nuclear
magnetic
resonance
signals
production
imaging
samples
combines
inert
gases
enhance
target
nuclei
sample
critical
temperature
superconducting
quantum
interference
device
detect
operates
static
fields
mt
temperatures
liquid
nitrogen
77k
size
limited
field
coils
detector
magnetometer
designed
close
resonance imaging
inert gases
field coils
quantum interference
magnetic resonance
critical temperature
magnetic field
magnetic fields
inert gas
nuclear magnetic
static magnetic
field coil
superconducting quantum
liquid nitrogen
interference device
target nuclei
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