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Perfusion imaging with a freely diffusible hyperpolarized contrast agent
Author(s) -
Grant Aaron K.,
Vinogradov Elena,
Wang Xiaoen,
Lenkinski Robert E.,
Alsop David C.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
magnetic resonance in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.696
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1522-2594
pISSN - 0740-3194
DOI - 10.1002/mrm.22860
Subject(s) - perfusion , magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance , contrast (vision) , perfusion scanning , chemistry , hyperpolarization (physics) , biomedical engineering , nuclear medicine , nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy , medicine , physics , radiology , optics
Contrast agents that can diffuse freely into or within tissue have numerous attractive features for perfusion imaging. Here we present preliminary data illustrating the suitability of hyperpolarized 13 C labeled 2‐methylpropan‐2‐ol (also known as dimethylethanol, tertiary butyl alcohol and tert ‐butanol) as a freely diffusible contrast agent for magnetic resonance perfusion imaging. Dynamic 13 C images acquired in rat brain with a balanced steady‐state free precession sequence following administration of hyperpolarized 2‐methylpropan‐2‐ol show that this agent can be imaged with 2–4s temporal resolution, 2 mm slice thickness, and 700 μm in‐plane resolution while retaining adequate signal‐to‐noise ratio. 13 C relaxation measurements on 2‐methylpropan‐2‐ol in blood at 9.4T yield T 1 = 46 ± 4s and T 2 = 0.55 ± 0.03s. In the rat brain at 4.7T, analysis of the temporal dynamics of the balanced steady‐state free precession image intensity in tissue and venous blood indicate that 2‐methylpropan‐2‐ol has a T 2 of roughly 2–4s and a T 1 of 43 ± 24s. In addition, the images indicate that 2‐methylpropan‐2‐ol is freely diffusible in brain and hence has a long residence time in tissue; this in turn makes it possible to image the agent continuously for tens of seconds. These characteristics show that 2‐methylpropan‐2‐ol is a promising agent for robust and quantitative perfusion imaging in the brain and body. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.