Improved and adjustable hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful, non-invasive and safe medical procedure allowing detailed imaging of internal structures for the diagnosis of injuries and disease. Unlike CT scans and X-rays, which use ionizing radiation, MRI utilizes magnetic fields and radio waves. MRI and MRSI with hyperpolarized substrates distinctively allows for the localized metabolic imaging of a sample or area of a patient to detect cellular activity, with higher sensitivity than conventional approaches. Changes in molecular markers, such as metabolites, can indicate both the progression and specificity of a disease. The current limitations of hyperpolarized MRI/MRSI are narrow observation windows (limited to several minutes for 13C pyruvate substrate) and low resolution.

Invention

Researchers at UCSF and Stanford have developed an improved hyperpolarized MRI/MRSI method that increases the observation window and maximizes the signal. The method minimally perturbs the substrates, allowing for greater conversion from substrates to products. Furthermore, the newly designed multiband excitation pulses can be modified to meet the imaging needs of specific compounds.