Scientists from the University of California, Berkeley (CA, USA) have published findings from their work in hyperpolarized xenon signal amplification by gas extraction (Hyper-SAGE). They describe a method for enhancing the sensitivity of MRI of dissolved xenon by detecting the signal following extraction to the gas phase.

Although the best method currently available for the analysis of chemical composition of a sample is nuclear magnetic resonance/MRI, the technique has its limitations in that it is based on a weak signal, with unprecise alignment of atomic nuclei.

Hyper-SAGE aims to increase the density of polarized gas in the detection coil by taking advantage of a change in physical phase. The xenon gas is subjected to laser light to hyperpolarize the spins of its atomic nuclei to optimize the number pointing in the same direction. “By detecting the MRI signal of dissolved hyperpolarized xenon after the xenon has been extracted back into the gas phase, we can boost the signal’s strength up to 10,000 times,” Alexander Pines, pioneer of the technique, says. “It is absolutely amazing because we’re looking at pure gas and can reconstruct the whole image of our target. With this degree of sensitivity, Hyper-SAGE becomes a highly promising tool for in vivo diagnostics and molecular imaging.”

Furthermore, the authors explain in the abstract, “Coupled with targeted xenon biosensors, Hyper-SAGE offers another path to highly sensitive molecular imaging of specific cell markers by detection of exhaled xenon gas.”

The clinical application of this research will be investigated at Queen’s Medical Centre (Nottingham, UK). The recent construction of a new MRI research unit will enable the study of Hyper-SAGE in a range.