Development of Instrumentation for High-Rate Production of Hyperpolarized 3He Gas

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案的主要目标是开发一种新型、快速、耐用且便携的3 He超极化设备，该设备将产生约1 L /小时的3 He气体，自旋极化至40%或更高。该装置将使用亚稳态交换光泵浦方法（MEOP），这是一种传统上难以实现的理论上有利的过程。压缩机和激光技术的最新进展已经克服了这些障碍。基于MEOP工艺的偏振器与基于替代自旋交换光泵方法（SEOP）的当前偏振器技术相比，将提供超极化3 He的生产率的几乎十倍的增加。拟议的设备将是第一个MEOP 3 He超极化设备专用于在美国的生物医学MRI的使用，它可以位于生物医学成像环境。这个多学科计划连接物理和生物医学科学，有可能在肺生理学和医学方面提供重大突破性研究。因此，该计划符合R-21供资机制的条件。该方案的具体目标是： 1.设计并制造了一个原型3 He超极化装置，该装置使用亚稳态交换光泵浦（MEOP）方法工作，每小时产生约1 L的40%极化3 He气体。 2.确定设备的最佳操作条件，研究3 He极化信号作为操作参数的函数，包括气体混合物，压力和压缩率。 3.使用来自MEOP 3 He超极化装置的气体进行体模3 He MRI研究。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The broad objective of this proposal is to develop a novel, rapid, robust and portable 3He hyperpolarization apparatus that will produce ~ 1 L / hour of 3He gas spin-polarized to 40% or greater. The apparatus will use the metastability-exchange optical pumping method (MEOP), a theoretically-favorable process that has traditionally been difficult to implement. Recent advances in compressor and laser technology have overcome these hurdles. A polarizer based on the MEOP process will provide an almost ten-fold increase in production rate for hyperpolarized 3He when compared to current polarizer technology based on the alternative spinexchange optical-pumping method (SEOP). The proposed apparatus will be the first MEOP 3He hyperpolarization apparatus dedicated to biomedical MRI use in the US and which can be located in the biomedical imaging environment. This multidisciplinary program bridges the physical and biomedical sciences, with the potential to provide significant breakthrough research in pulmonary physiology and medicine. Thus this program qualifies for the R-21 funding mechanism. The Specific Aims of the program are: 1. Design and fabricate a prototype 3He hyperpolarization apparatus that operates using the metastabilityexchange optical pumping (MEOP) method, and produces ~ 1 L per hour of 40% polarized 3He gas. 2. Determine optimum operating conditions for the apparatus, studying 3He polarization signal as a function of operating parameters, including gas mixture, pressure, and compression rate. 3. Perform phantom 3He MRI studies with gas from the MEOP 3He hyperpolarization apparatus.