New Horizons in Hyperpolarized ¹³C MRI.

Area of Science:

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
• Medical Physics
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Hyperpolarization techniques significantly boost magnetic resonance (MR) sensitivity, opening new research avenues.
• Hyperpolarized 13C MRI/S allows non-invasive, real-time metabolic process assessment.
• This technology holds potential for early disease diagnosis, patient stratification, and therapy response evaluation in oncology, neurology, and cardiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of recent advancements and future directions in hyperpolarized 13C MRI/S.
• To summarize discussions from the "New Horizons in Hyperpolarized 13C MRI" international workshop.
• To highlight key areas including polarization methods, novel probes, data handling, and clinical applications.

Main Methods:

• The content is based on discussions from an international workshop held in March 2023.
• Focus on parahydrogen-based polarization methods.
• Exploration of novel probes, data acquisition, and analysis considerations.

Main Results:

• New developments in polarization techniques, particularly parahydrogen-based methods, were discussed.
• Novel probes and advanced data acquisition/analysis strategies were explored.
• Emerging clinical applications in oncology and other fields were presented.

Conclusions:

• Hyperpolarized 13C MRI/S offers significant potential for clinical translation in various medical fields.
• Addressing technical challenges is crucial for widespread adoption.
• Continued research in polarization techniques, probes, and data analysis will drive future applications.