Magnetic Resonance Imaging with laser polarized 129Xe

Magnetic Resonance Imaging with laser-polarized Xe-129 can be utilized to traceblood flow and perfusion in tissue for a variety of biomedical applications. Polarized xenon gas introduced in to the lungs dissolves in the blood and is transported to organs such as the brain where it accumulates in the tissue. Spectroscopic studies combined with imaging have been used to produce brain images of Xe-129 in the rat head. This work establishes that nuclear polarization produced in the gas phases survives transport to the brain where it may be imaged. Increases in polarization and delivered volume of Xe-129 will allow clinical measurements of regional blood flow.