BERKELEY, Calif., -- U.S. scientists have created a new
technique for magnetic resonance imaging to detect signals
at 10,000 times lower concentrations than now possible.
The researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory say their new technique --
called HYPER-CEST, for hyperpolarized xenon chemical ex-
change saturation transfer -- holds great promise for mole-
cular imaging, in which the spatial distribution of
specific molecules is detected within an organism. Ultimate-
ly, the scientists said, HYPER-CEST could become a valuable
tool for medical diagnosis, including the early detection
of cancer. In the technique, xenon atoms are hyperpolarized
with laser light to enhance their MRI signal and then incor-
porated into a biosensor and linked to specific protein or
ligand targets. Those hyperpolarized xenon biosensors
generate highly selective contrast at sites where they are
bound, dramatically boosting the strength of the MRI signal
and resulting in spatial images of the chosen molecular or
cellular target. The research -- led by Alexander Pines and
David Wemmer -- is detailed in the Oct. 20 issue of the
journal Science. Berkeley Lab conducts unclassified scien-
tific research and is managed by the University of
California.
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