Characterization of Hyperpolarized Xe-129 NMR Spectra

This book describes the modeling and experimental
effort in trying to use hyperpolarized Xe-129 (H-Xe)
dissolved in Perfluorooctyl Bromide (PFOB) emulsions
as an Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) contrast agent
for cancer detection. H-Xe dissolved in PFOB
emulsions stabilized with egg-yolk phospholipid (EYP)
has been suggested as a possible in vivo NMR contrast
agent. A two-compartment radial diffusive exchange
model based on the generalized Bloch equations was
developed. The model was used to investigate the NMR
spectra of H-Xe dissolved in PFOB emulsions. The
permeability of the EYP membrane was estimated by
fitting the linewidths of the experimental NMR
spectra with the modeled spectra linewidths. The
experiments also showed that the linewidths of the
NMR spectra of H-Xe in PFOB emulsions depend on the
PFOB concentration because of the H-Xe diffusive
exchange. Bulk water flow measurements were
demonstrated by dynamic acquisition of H-Xe NMR
spectra while the bolus formed of H-Xe gas in PFOB
emulsions diluted during the passage through a coil.