MRI of hyperpolarized gases in competition with nuclear medicine?
Résumé
Optical pumping techniques with laserlight were recently used to polarize the nuclear spins of gaseous xenon and helium in order to achieve magnetic resonance imaging of ventilatory lung spaces. Due to their properties, hyperpolarized noble gases open new windows in functional ventilation and perfusion imaging. This article presents the state of the art of these techniques and discusses their perspectives with respect to standard nuclear medicine methods.