Physics Utilizing Spin-Polarized Gases
Abstract
The research supported by this grant was focused on applications of laser-polarized 3He and 129Xe in magnetic resonance imaging and on the basic physics that makes this possible. During the past few years, magnetic resonance imaging of human lungs with laser-polarized 3He and 129Xe is being done with increasing frequency at a growing number of sites throughout the world. The resulting lung images are of unprecedented resolution and they clearly show pathologies that are more poorly diagnosed, if at all, by currently available modalities like x-rays or gamma-ray scintillography. A very important consideration in the use of laser-polarized 3He and 129Xe is that the nuclear spins of these gases do not relax at the surface of the container in which they are pumped or stored. This research has shown that in the case of 129Xe in cells with polymer wall coatings, much of the relaxation is due to unusually long trapping of the 129Xe atoms at sites surrounded by protons in the polymer.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA339190
Entities
People
- W. Happer
Organizations
- Princeton University