Enhancement of Sensitivity in the MRI of Hyperpolarised Noble Gases

超极化（HP）惰性气体（3He和129Xe）的MRI显示了肺部通气成像的很大希望。气体原子的激光超偏振（光泵浦）为肺部气体MRI提供了充足的信号。迄今为止，申请人与3He开展的方法学工作已经建立了谢菲尔德大学在HP气体MRI领域的国际地位。该项目将在谢菲尔德进行，主要目的是：1。研究了磁场强度对高压气体核磁共振成像的影响。这将使用一种专用的肺成像系统，该系统以0.2 T的速度运行，旨在对直立位置的肺进行成像，目前使用的1.5 T全身MRI扫描仪和一种新的3 T全身MRI系统。这项工作将有利于国际HP气体MRI研究界和MR制造商，帮助确定气体和场强的最佳配置，以执行这一令人兴奋的功能性肺成像新方法。2. 用于高压气体并行成像的脉冲序列和射频硬件的开发。这些方法将有助于通过优化偏振使用来减少成像所需的气体量。如果要在临床实践中广泛使用高压气体MRI，这一点很重要，因为这些气体是昂贵的有限资源。3. 将能力扩展到HP 129Xe的MRI，并进行实验以研究肺中两种气体的核磁共振物理特性，并确定其对功能性肺成像的潜在敏感性。最终目标是开发一种技术，以尽可能高的空间分辨率量化肺功能，而不使用有害的电离辐射，就像目前在临床标准肺成像模式/ CT和核闪烁成像中使用的那样。在生物医学、物理科学和工业研究方面的潜在应用是无数的。该项目将涉及与在该领域工作的世界领先实验室和行业的多种合作，并将有助于加强现有的国际跨学科合作[www.phil.ens.fr]。这项享有盛誉的奖项将使申请人能够专注于他的研究专业领域，并将有助于巩固谢菲尔德和英国在该领域国际研究的前沿地位。

MRI of hyperpolarised (HP) noble gases (3He and 129Xe) shows much promise for imaging ventilation in lungs. Laser hyperpolarisation of gas atoms (with optical pumping) provides ample signal for gas MRI in the lungs. The methodological work carried out to date by the applicant with 3He, has established the University of Sheffield internationally in the area of HP gas MRI. The principle aims of this project, which will be carried out in Sheffield are: 1. Study the effects of magnetic field strength in HP gas MRI. This will make use of a dedicated lung imaging system operating at 0.2 T designed to image the lungs in the upright position, the 1.5 T whole body MRI scanner currently in use and a new 3 T whole body MRI system. The work would be of benefit to the international HP gas MRI research community and MR manufacturers in helping determine the optimum configuration of gas and field strength for performing this exciting new method of functional lung imaging. 2. Development of pulse sequences and radio frequency hardware for parallel imaging with HP gases. These methods will help reduce the amounts of gas needed for imaging through optimisation of polarisation usage. This is important if HP gas MRI is to become widely used in clinical practice since these gases are expensive limited resources. 3. Extend capability to the MRI of HP 129Xe and perform experiments to investigate the NMR physics of the two gases in the lung and to determine their potential sensitivity for functional lung imaging. The ultimate goal is to develop the technology to quantify lung function with as high spatial resolution as possible without the use of harmful ionising radiation as is currently used in the clinical standard lung imaging modalities / CT and nuclear scintigraphy. The potential applications in biomedicine, physical science and industrial research are numerous. The project will involve multiple collaborations with world leqading laboratories and industry working in the area and will help strengthen existing international inter-disciplinary collaborations [www.phil.ens.fr]. This prestigous award would allow the applicant to focus on his area of research expertise and will help consolidate Sheffield and the UK at the forefront of international research in this field..