Open AccessIn vivo 13C-MRI using SAMBADENA
Author(s) -
Andreas B. Schmidt,
Stephan Berner,
Moritz Braig,
Mirko Zimmermann,
Jürgen Hennig,
Dominik von Elverfeldt,
JanBernd Hövener
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0200141
Subject(s) - hyperpolarization (physics) , in vivo , magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance , polarizer , biomedical engineering , materials science , computer science , radiology , medicine , nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy , physics , optics , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , birefringence
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a powerful imaging tool but suffers from a low sensitivity that severely limits its use for detecting metabolism in vivo . Hyperpolarization (HP) methods have demonstrated MRI signal enhancement by several orders of magnitude, enabling the detection of metabolism with a sensitivity that was hitherto inaccessible. While it holds great promise, HP is typically relatively slow (hours), expensive (million $, €) and requires a dedicated device (“polarizer”). Recently, we introduced a new method that creates HP tracers without an external polarizer but within the MR-system itself based on para hydrogen induced polarization (PHIP): Synthesis Amid the Magnet Bore Allows Dramatically Enhanced Nuclear Alignment (SAMBADENA). To date, this method is the simplest and least cost-intensive method for hyperpolarized 13 C-MRI. HP of P 13C > 20% was demonstrated for 5mM tracer solutions previously. Here, we present a setup and procedure that enabled the first in vivo application of SAMBADENA: Within seconds, a hyperpolarized angiography tracer was produced and injected into an adult mouse. Subsequently, fast 13 C-MRI was acquired which exhibited the vena cava, aorta and femoral arteries of the rodent. This first SAMBADENA in vivo 13 C-angiography demonstrates the potential of the method as a fast, simple, low-cost alternative to produce HP-tracers to unlock the vast but hidden powers of MRI.