Rapid hyperpolarization and purification of the metabolite fumarate in aqueous solution
Stephan Knecht, John W. Blanchard, Danila A. Barskiy, Eleonora Cavallari, Laurynas Dagys, Erik Van Dyke, Maksim Tsukanov, Bea Bliemel, Kerstin Münnemann, Silvio Aime, Francesca Reineri, Malcolm H. Levitt, Gerd Buntkowsky, Alexander Pines, Peter Blümler, Dmitry Budker, James Eills
Abstract
Significance Magnetic resonance imaging is hindered by inherently low sensitivity, which limits the method for the most part to observing water molecules in the body. Hyperpolarized molecules exhibit strongly enhanced MRI signals which opens the door for imaging low-concentration species in vivo. Biomolecules can be hyperpolarized and injected into a patient allowing for metabolism to be tracked in real time, greatly expanding the information available to the radiologist. Parahydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP) is a hyperpolarization method renowned for its low cost and accessibility, but is generally limited by low polarization levels, modest molecular concentrations, and contamination by polarization reagents. In this work we overcome these drawbacks in the production of PHIP-polarized [1- 13 C]fumarate, a biomarker of cell necrosis in metabolic 13 C MRI.