Using Raman Spectroscopy To Improve Hyperpolarized Noble Gas Production For Clinical Lung Imaging Techniques, Jonathan R. Birchall, Nicholas Whiting, Jason G. Skinner, Michael J. Barlow, Boyd M. Goodson
Dec 2016
Using Raman Spectroscopy To Improve Hyperpolarized Noble Gas Production For Clinical Lung Imaging Techniques, Jonathan R. Birchall, Nicholas Whiting, Jason G. Skinner, Michael J. Barlow, Boyd M. Goodson
Nicholas Whiting
Spin-exchange optical pumping (SEOP) can be used to “hyperpolarize” 129Xe for human lung MRI. SEOP involves transfer of angular momentum from light to an alkali metal (Rb) vapor, and then onto 129Xe nuclear spins during collisions; collisions between excited Rb and N2 ensure that incident optical energy is nonradiatively converted into heat. However, because variables that govern SEOP are temperature-dependent, the excess heat can complicate efforts to maximize spin polarization—particularly at high laser fluxes and xenon densities. Ultra-low frequency Raman spectroscopy may be used to perform in situ gas temperature measurements to investigate the interplay of energy thermalization and SEOP …
Developing Hyperpolarized Silicon Particles For In Vivo Mri Targeting Of Ovarian Cancer, Nicholas Whiting, Jingzhe Hu, Niki M. Zacharias, Ganesh L. R. Lokesh, David E. Volk, David G. Menter, Rajesha Rupaimoole, Rebecca Previs, Anil K. Sood, Pratip Bhattacharya
Aug 2016
Developing Hyperpolarized Silicon Particles For In Vivo Mri Targeting Of Ovarian Cancer, Nicholas Whiting, Jingzhe Hu, Niki M. Zacharias, Ganesh L. R. Lokesh, David E. Volk, David G. Menter, Rajesha Rupaimoole, Rebecca Previs, Anil K. Sood, Pratip Bhattacharya
Nicholas Whiting
Silicon-based nanoparticles are ideally suited for use as biomedical imaging agents due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and simple surface chemistry that facilitates drug loading and targeting. A method of hyperpolarizing silicon particles using dynamic nuclear polarization, which increases magnetic resonance imaging signals by several orders-of-magnitude through enhanced nuclear spin alignment, has recently been developed to allow silicon particles to function as contrast agents for in vivo magnetic resonance imaging. The enhanced spin polarization of silicon lasts significantly longer than other hyperpolarized agents (tens of minutes, whereas <1 min for other species at room temperature), allowing a wide range of potential …
Interrogating Metabolism In Brain Cancer, Travis Salzillo, Jingzhe Hu, Linda Nguyen, Nicholas Whiting, Jaehyuk Lee, Joseph Weygand, Prasanta Dutta, Shivanand Pudakalakatti, Niki Zacharias Millward, Seth Gammon, Frederick F. Lang, Amy B. Heimberger, Pratip Bhattacharya
Dec 2015
Interrogating Metabolism In Brain Cancer, Travis Salzillo, Jingzhe Hu, Linda Nguyen, Nicholas Whiting, Jaehyuk Lee, Joseph Weygand, Prasanta Dutta, Shivanand Pudakalakatti, Niki Zacharias Millward, Seth Gammon, Frederick F. Lang, Amy B. Heimberger, Pratip Bhattacharya
Nicholas Whiting
Many existing and emerging techniques of interrogating metabolism in brain cancer are at an early stage of development. A few clinical trials that employ these techniques are in progress in patients with brain cancer to establish the clinical efficacy of these techniques. It is likely that in vivo metabolomics and metabolic imaging is the next frontier in brain cancer diagnosis and assessing therapeutic efficacy.
Real-Time Mri-Guided Catheter Tracking Using Hyperpolarized Silicon Particles, Nicholas Whiting, Jingzhe Hu, Jay V. Shah, Maja C. Cassidy, Erik Cressman, Niki Zacharias Millward, David G. Menter, Charles M. Marcus, Pratip K. Bhattacharya
Jan 2015
Real-Time Mri-Guided Catheter Tracking Using Hyperpolarized Silicon Particles, Nicholas Whiting, Jingzhe Hu, Jay V. Shah, Maja C. Cassidy, Erik Cressman, Niki Zacharias Millward, David G. Menter, Charles M. Marcus, Pratip K. Bhattacharya
Nicholas Whiting
Visualizing the movement of angiocatheters during endovascular interventions is typically accomplished using x-ray fluoroscopy. There are many potential advantages to developing magnetic resonance imaging-based approaches that will allow three-dimensional imaging of the tissue/vasculature interface while monitoring other physiologically-relevant criteria, without exposing the patient or clinician team to ionizing radiation. Here we introduce a proof-of-concept development of a magnetic resonance imaging-guided catheter tracking method that utilizes hyperpolarized silicon particles. The increased signal of the silicon particles is generated via low-temperature, solid-state dynamic nuclear polarization, and the particles retain their enhanced signal for ≥40 minutes—allowing imaging experiments over extended time durations. The …
Near-Unity Nuclear Polarization With An Open-Source 129xe Hyperpolarizer For Nmr And Mri, Panayiotis Nikolaou, Aaron M. Coffey, Laura L. Walkup, Brogan M. Gust, Nicholas Whiting, Hayley Newton, Scott Barcus, Iga Muradyan, Mikayel Dabaghyan, Gregory D. Moroz, Matthew S. Rosen, Samuel Patz, Michael J. Barlow, Eduard Y. Chekmenev, Boyd M. Goodson
Aug 2013
Near-Unity Nuclear Polarization With An Open-Source 129xe Hyperpolarizer For Nmr And Mri, Panayiotis Nikolaou, Aaron M. Coffey, Laura L. Walkup, Brogan M. Gust, Nicholas Whiting, Hayley Newton, Scott Barcus, Iga Muradyan, Mikayel Dabaghyan, Gregory D. Moroz, Matthew S. Rosen, Samuel Patz, Michael J. Barlow, Eduard Y. Chekmenev, Boyd M. Goodson
Nicholas Whiting
The exquisite NMR spectral sensitivity and negligible reactivity of hyperpolarized xenon-129 (HP129Xe) make it attractive for a number of magnetic resonance applications; moreover, HP129Xe embodies an alternative to rare and nonrenewable 3He. However, the ability to reliably and inexpensively produce large quantities of HP129Xe with sufficiently high 129Xe nuclear spin polarization (PXe) remains a significant challenge—particularly at high Xe densities. We present results from our “open-source” large-scale (∼1 L/h) 129Xe polarizer for clinical, preclinical, and materials NMR and MRI research. Automated and composed mostly of off-the-shelf components, this “hyperpolarizer” is designed to be readily implementable in other laboratories. The device …
