Method of magnetic resonance investigation

• Main Authors: STEFAN PETERSSON, OSKAR AXELSSON, IB LEUNBACH, LARS-GORAN WISTRAND, GEORG HANSSON, KLAES GOLMAN, JAN HENRIK ARDENKJAER-LARSEN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 15.05.2003
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: DIAGNOSIS; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; IDENTIFICATION; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; PHYSICS; PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES; SURGERY; TESTING

This invention provides a method of magnetic resonance investigation of a sample, preferably of a human or non-human animal body, said method comprising: (i) producing a hyperpolarised solution of a high T 1 agent by dissolving in a physiologically tolerable solvent a hyperpolarised solid sample of said high T 1 agent; (ii) where the hyperpolarisation of the solid sample of said high T 1 agent in step (i) is effected by means of a polarising agent, optionally separating the whole, substantially the whole, or a portion of said polarising agent from said high T 1 agent; (iii) administering said hyperpolarised solution to said sample; (iv) exposing said sample to a second radiation of a frequency selected to excite nuclear spin transitions in selected nuclei eg the MR imaging nuclei of the high T 1 agent; (v) detecting magnetic resonance signals from said sample; and (vi) optionally, generating an image, dynamic flow data, diffusion data, perfusion data, physiological data (eg. pH, pO 2 , pCO 2 , temperature or ionic concentrations) or metabolic data from said detected signals, wherein said high T 1 agent in said hyperpolarised solution has a T 1 value (at a field strength in the range 0.01-5T and a temperature in the range 20-40°C) of at least 5 seconds.