Introduction to MRI with Hyperpolarized Carbon-13 Agents

MRI with hyperpolarized carbon-13 agents is a powerful emerging imaging modality that can measure real-time metabolism in cells, animals, and humans. It uses endogenous, non-toxic contrast agents that are hyperpolarized, resulting in up to 100,000-fold increases in sensitivity. This technique uses no ionizing radiation and is being applied in a range of human trials. Its primary use is for metabolic imaging, but it can also measure perfusion, pH, and necrosis.

About the Book

Hyperpolarized Carbon-13 Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy is designed to be a one-stop shop for understanding hyperpolarized 13C MRI. This book explains the principles of this imaging modality, the requirements for performing studies, shows how to interpret the results, and gives an overview of current biomedical applications. It is suitable for engineers, scientists, and clinicians in radiology and biomedical imaging who want to understand this technology.

Key Topics Covered

• Presents the physics and hardware of dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization
• Explains the behavior of hyperpolarized carbon-13 agents and how to image them
• Provides detailed guidance on experimental design and data interpretation
• Identifies promising and potential applications of hyperpolarized carbon-13 MR