Hyperpolarized 129Xe Cerebral Perfusion MRI Imaging Development

Imaging of cerebral perfusion (the delivery of blood to a capillary bed in the brain tissue) is significant for diagnosing a variety of diseases. There are multiple challenges associated with perfusion imaging which significantly limits the quality of cerebral perfusion images. I am planning to develop a novel approach of cerebral perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using hyperpolarized (HP) xenon-129 (129Xe). To conduct HP 129Xe perfusion imaging, I am developing a novel HP MRI Time-of-Flight (TOF) pulse sequence. This imaging technique allows for the acquisition of perfusion images with a high signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio. Furthermore, this imaging methodology allows for the acquisition of quantitative perfusion images in less than 20 s. HP 129Xe TOF imaging has the potential to overcome the challenges of current cerebral perfusion imaging and become a powerful tool for early-stage diagnosis of perfusion related neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson diseases. This will allow for better treatment planning, which will be beneficial for modern clinical practice. Furthermore, HP 129Xe TOF imaging can significantly improve the understanding of the mechanism of perfusion-related diseases, which will allow for the development of highly efficient treatments for further translation into clinics.

Faculty Supervisor:

Mitchell Albert

Student:

Yurii Shepelytskyi

Partner:

Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute

Discipline:

Chemistry

Sector:

University:

Lakehead University

Program: