Hyperpolarised gas filling station for medical imaging using polarised (129)Xe and (3)He

Lee, Wai Tung; Zheng, Gang; Talbot, Cavin L.; Tong, Xin; D'Adam, Tim; Parnell, Steven R.; Veer, Michael De; Jenkin, Graham; Polglase, Graeme R.; Hooper, Stuart B.; Thompson, Bruce R.; Thien, Francis; Egan, Gary F.

We report the design, construction, and initial tests of a hyperpolariser to produce polarised (129)Xe and (3)He gas for medical imaging of the lung. The hyperpolariser uses the Spin-Exchange Optical Pumping method to polarise the nuclear spins of the isotopic gas. Batch mode operation was chosen for the design to produce polarised (129)Xe and polarised (3)He. Two-side pumping, electrical heating and a piston to transfer the polarised gas were some of the implemented techniques that are not commonly used in hyperpolariser designs. We have carried out magnetic resonance imaging experiments demonstrating that the (3)He and (129)Xe polarisation reached were sufficient for imaging, in particular for in vivo lung imaging using (129)Xe. Further improvements to the hyperpolariser have also been discussed.