Magnetic resonance imaging and/or spectroscopy contrast agents and methods of use thereof

摘要

The presently disclosed subject matter demonstrates that a spin state which has zero magnetic resonance signal, but an extremely long lifetime, can be used to store magnetization, which can then be recovered into an observable transition. Coupled with hyperpolarization techniques, this permits the preparation of a wide range of contrast agent molecules for use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques that have long effective relaxation time.

主权项

1. A method of providing a contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or magnetic resonance spectroscopy, the method comprising:
providing a precursor molecule comprising two J-coupled, non-zero-spin, non-equivalent nuclei, wherein said precursor molecule is chemically convertible to a contrast agent molecule wherein the two J-coupled, non-zero-spin, non-equivalent nuclei are converted to equivalent nuclei; hyperpolarizing the precursor molecule to provide a hyperpolarized precursor molecule; applying one or more radiofrequency pulse(s) to the hyperpolarized precursor molecule to create one or both of a non-equilibrium αβ nuclear spin state population and a non-equilibrium βα nuclear spin state population; and chemically converting the hyperpolarized precursor molecule into a contrast agent molecule by converting the two J-coupled, non-zero-spin, non-equivalent nuclei to two J-coupled, non-zero-spin, equivalent nuclei, wherein the contrast agent molecule comprises a non-equilibrium nuclear singlet spin state population and is chemically convertible to a detection molecule wherein said equivalent nuclei are converted to non-equivalent nuclei.