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Investigation In To The Effect Of Spin Locking On Contrast Agent Relaxivity, Julian Saunders Haigh

Dissertations and Theses

The current trend in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is towards higher external magnetic field strengths (B₀) to take advantage of increased sensitivity and signal to noise ratio (SNR). Unfortunately, as (B₀) increases the effectiveness (relaxivity) of clinical gadolinium (Gd³⁺⁾-based contrast agents (CAs) administered to enhance image contrast is significantly reduced. Excellent soft tissue contrast can be generated with current agents despite their non-optimum relaxivities but necessitates large doses. The limits of detection of a CA at high B₀ fields can be lowered by recovering the lost relaxivity and is a pre-requisite to the …