Development of a Compact, Low-Cost Parahydrogen-Based Hyperpolarization System

描述（由申请人提供）：液相超极化造影剂是一种新技术，可将磁共振成像的灵敏度提高10，000倍或更多。这些信号增强有望在MRI的许多现有应用中产生显著的改进，包括血管造影和灌注成像。此外，由于有可能使内源性物质过量，这些技术开始显示出新的应用前景，如“实时”代谢成像，不仅监测药物的运输和摄取，还监测代谢转化。制备超极化造影剂的两种主要方法是动态核极化（DNP）和仲氢诱导极化（PHIP）。虽然DNP是一种非常灵活的方法，但PHIP也有一些优点。特别是，PHIP样品制备时间比DNP所需的时间短得多，并且PHIP所需的设备相对便宜。然而，目前，所有市售的偏振器都使用DNP技术。缺乏商用硬件是PHIP研究的一个重大障碍。在这里，我们建议开发一个廉价的，紧凑的，便携式的基于PHP的偏振系统。该系统将被设计为产生最大的信号增强，同时最大限度地减少成本，复杂性和系统的物理尺寸。此外，我们将自动化极化过程，以便没有广泛的PHIP专业知识的人可以使用该技术。我们将开发一个用户界面，允许使用不同的极化技术进行实验，以便研究人员可以开发优化的方法来极化不同化合物中的各种原子核。最后，我们将以期刊文章和网络资源的形式公开系统的设计，使其他研究人员能够利用这项技术。公共卫生相关性：超极化液体造影剂可以使磁共振成像的灵敏度相对于传统方法提高10，000倍或更多，并有望实现各种新的基于MRI的诊断方法。仲氢诱导极化（PHIP）是一种简单、快速、相对廉价的制备超极化造影剂的方法。在这里，我们建议开发一个基于PHP的偏振系统，是紧凑的，廉价的，用户友好的。我们将通过期刊文章和网络资源公开该系统的设计。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Liquid-phase hyperpolarized contrast agents are a new technology that can enhance the sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging by a factor of 10,000 or more. These signal enhancements promise to yield significant improvements in many existing applications of MRI, including angiography and perfusion imaging. In addition, because it is possible to hyperpolarize endogenous substances, these techniques are beginning to show promise for new applications such as `real-time' metabolic imaging that monitors not just transport and uptake of agents, but metabolic transformations as well. The two main approaches to preparation of hyperpolarized contrast media are dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) and parahydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP). Although DNP is a very flexible method, PHIP has several advantages as well. In particular, PHIP sample preparation times are much shorter than those required by DNP, and the equipment needed for PHIP is comparatively inexpensive. At present, however, all commercially available polarizers make use of DNP technology. The lack of commercially available hardware is a significant hindrance to research in PHIP. Here we propose to develop an inexpensive, compact, and portable PHIP-based polarization system. The system will be designed to yield maximal signal enhancements while minimizing the cost, complexity, and physical size of the system. In addition, we will automate the polarization process so that people without extensive expertise in PHIP can make use of the technology. We will develop a user interface that will allow experimentation with different polarization techniques so that researchers can develop optimized methods for polarizing a variety of nuclei in different chemical compounds. Finally, we will make the design of the system public in the form of journal articles and web resources to enable other researchers to make use of this technology. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Hyperpolarized liquid contrast media can enhance the sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging by a factor of 10,000 or more relative to conventional methods, and promise to enable a variety of new MRI-based diagnostic methods. Parahydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP) is a simple, fast, and relatively inexpensive method for preparing hyperpolarized contrast media. Here we propose to develop a PHIP-based polarization system that is compact, inexpensive, and user-friendly. We will make the design of this system publicly available by means of journal articles and web resources.