Methods for imaging pulmonary and cardiac vasculature and evaluating blood flow using dissolved polarized 129Xe
US6346229B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 17, 1999 |
| Grant date | Feb 12, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 17, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R33/563
- WIPO fieldPharmaceuticals
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
MR spectroscopy and imaging method for imaging pulmonary and cardiac vasculature and the cardiac region and evaluating blood flow or circulatory deficits use dissolved phase polarized 129Xe gas and large flip angle excitation pulses. Pulmonary and cardiac vasculature MRI images are obtained by delivering gas to a patient via inhalation such as with a breath-hold delivery-procedure, exciting the dissolved phase gas with a large flip angle pulse, and generating a corresponding image. Preferably, the image is obtained using multi-echo imaging techniques. Blood flow is quantified using low field MR spectroscopy and an RF excitation pulse with a frequency which corresponds to the resonance of the dissolved phase 129Xe.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.