Hyperpolarized and Inert Gas MRI: Theory and Applications in Research and Medicine is the first comprehensive volume published on HP gas MRI. Since the 1990's, when HP gas MRI was invented by Dr. Albert and his colleagues, the HP gas MRI field has grown dramatically. The technique has proven to be a useful tool for diagnosis, disease staging, and therapy evaluation for obstructive lung diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cystic fibrosis. HP gas MRI has also been developed for functional imaging of the brain and is presently being developed for molecular imaging, including molecules associated with lung cancer, breast cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. Taking into account the ongoing growth of this field and the potential for future clinical applications, the book pulls together the most relevant and cutting-edge research available in HP gas MRI into one resource. - Presents the most comprehensive, relevant, and accurate information on HP gas MRI - Co-edited by the co-inventor of HP gas MRI, Dr. Albert, with chapter authors who are the leading experts in their respective sub-disciplines - Serves as a foundation of understanding of HP gas MRI for researchers and clinicians involved in research, technology development, and clinical use with HP gas MRI - Covers all hyperpolarized gases, including helium, the gas with which the majority of HP gas MRI has been conducted

During the past decade significant developments have been achieved in the field of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), enabling MRI to enter the clinical arena of chest imaging. Standard protocols can now be implemented on up-to-date scanners, allowing MRI to be used as a first-line imaging modality for various lung diseases, including cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension and even lung cancer. The diagnostic benefits stem from the ability of MRI to visualize changes in lung structure while simultaneously imaging different aspects of lung function, such as perfusion, respiratory motion, ventilation and gas exchange. On this basis, novel quantitative surrogates for lung function can be obtained. This book provides a comprehensive overview of how to use MRI for imaging of lung disease. Special emphasis is placed on benign diseases requiring regular monitoring, given that it is patients with these diseases who derive the greatest benefit from the avoidance of ionizing radiation.

This book reviews the basics of pulmonary functional imaging using new CT and MR techniques and describes the clinical applications of these techniques in detail. The intention is to equip readers with a full understanding of pulmonary functional imaging that will allow optimal application of all relevant techniques in the assessment of a variety of diseases, including COPD, asthma, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary thromboembolism, pulmonary hypertension, lung cancer and pulmonary nodule. Pulmonary functional imaging has been promoted as a research and diagnostic tool that has the capability to overcome the limitations of morphological assessments as well as functional evaluation based on traditional nuclear medicine studies. The recent advances in CT and MRI and in medical image processing and analysis have given further impetus to pulmonary functional imaging and provide the basis for future expansion of its use in clinical applications. In documenting the utility of state-of-the-art pulmonary functional imaging in diagnostic radiology and pulmonary medicine, this book will be of high value for chest radiologists, pulmonologists, pulmonary surgeons, and radiation technologists.

This book covers the recent NMR studies with the application of gaseous molecules. Among the comprehensively discussed aspects of the area it includes in particular: new multinuclear experiments that deliver spectral parameters of isolated molecules and provide the most accurate values of nuclear magnetic shielding, isotropic spin–spin coupling and relaxation times; advanced, precise and correct theoretical descriptions of spectral parameters of molecules as well as the application of gas-phase NMR measurements to chemical analysis and medicine. The progress of research in these fields is enormous and has rapidly changed our knowledge and understanding of molecular parameters in NMR spectroscopy. For example, accurate studies of the shielding for isolated molecules allow the exact determination of nuclear magnetic dipole moments, the calculated values of spectral parameters can be verified by precise gas-phase NMR measurements, and the application of hyperpolarized noble gases provides excellent MRI pictures of lungs. Aimed at graduates and researchers in spectroscopy, analytical chemistry and those researching the applications of NMR in medicine, this book presents the connections between sophisticated experiments, the theory of magnetic parameters and the exploration of new methods in practice.

Over the past decade, fluorine (19F) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has garnered significant scientific interest in the biomedical research community owing to the unique properties of fluorinated materials and the 19F nucleus. Fluorine has an intrinsically sensitive nucleus for MRI. There is negligible endogenous 19F in the body and thus there is no background signal. Fluorine-containing compounds are ideal tracer labels for a wide variety of MRI applications. Moreover, the chemical shift and nuclear relaxation rate can be made responsive to physiology via creative molecular design. This book is an interdisciplinary compendium that details cutting-edge science and medical research in the emerging field of 19F MRI. Edited by Ulrich Flögel and Eric Ahrens, two prominent MRI researchers, this book will appeal to investigators involved in MRI, biomedicine, immunology, pharmacology, probe chemistry, and imaging physics.

This book focuses on the practical issues of the implementation of state-of-the-art acquisition methodologies and protocols for both basic science and clinical practice. It is a practical guidebook for both beginners and advanced users for easy and practical implementation of acquisition protocols. It is relevant for a wide audience that ranges from students, residents, fellows, basic scientists, physicists, engineers, and medical practitioners. The novelty of this book relates to its intended practical use and focus on state-of-the-art cardiac MRI techniques that span both the clinical and basic science fields. In comparison and contrast to other pre-existing books, this book will distinguish from others for its practical usefulness and conciseness. Correspondingly, the book will be used as a handbook (quick reference) for new starters or people who would like to establish state-of-the-art cardiac MRI techniques in their institutions. Given the historical evolution of technique development in MRI, the clinical and basic science topics will be described separately. However, in instances where basic science development complemented (or is envisaged to complement) clinical development (e.g., Diffusion MRI and tractography), every effort will be made to allow a comprehensive review and associations of the clinical/basic science subfields.

Providing the first comprehensive book on the current state of hyperpolarized Xenon-129 NMR and MRI, this book is guaranteed to appeal to a wide range of scientists interested in this growing field. It is intended to create synergy between the various communities working with this noble gas. Covering all topics from the production of the hyperpolarized gas to its applications, the editors have invited a leading team of experts to combine the physical chemistry within the various topics and across disciplines. The scope will range from the fundamental aspects of optical pumping to practical aspects of hyperpolarizers and hp-xenon handling. The applications section will focus on hyperpolarized xenon-129 detected in the dissolved phase or micro porous media where the chemical shift of xenon-129 can be used as a diagnostic probe. Appealing to researchers in the biomedical field and materials sciences, this reference book will provide background reading and future looking material in one place.