A system and method performing a medical imaging process includes arranging a subject to receive solution comprising nanodiamonds, performing an MRI imaging process to acquire data from the subject, and reconstructing the data to generate a report indicating a spatial distribution of nanodiamonds in the subject.

An NMR probe head with an MAS stator (1) supplied with microwave radiation from a microwave guide (9) through an opening in a coil block (2) has a microwave lens (6) and a microwave mirror (8a) on an inner side of the MAS stator. The MAS rotor (3) is surrounded by a solenoid RF coil (5) and the microwave lens is arranged and embodied in the opening of the coil block on the side facing a sample volume (4) such that the cylinder axis of the MAS rotor lies in the focus of the microwave lens. The microwave mirror is arranged on, or in, the inner wall of the MAS stator that lies opposite the microwave guide and has a cylindrical and concave structure, such that the microwave mirror focuses the microwave radiation incident from the sample volume onto the central axis of the MAS rotor.

A rapid cycle dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) NMR apparatus comprises (i) a cooling unit configured to cool a sample in a capillary, (b) a DNP polarization unit configured to polarize the sample in the capillary, (c) a stripline-based NMR detector comprising a stripline for NMR analysis of the sample in the capillary, (d) a transport unit configured to guide the capillary from the DNP polarization unit to the stripline of stripline-based NMR detector; and (e) a heating unit configured to heat the sample in the capillary before analysis of the sample by the stripline-based NMR detector. Fast (1D-3D) NMR measurements with high resolution may be obtained.

A rapid cycle dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) NMR apparatus comprises (i) a cooling unit configured to cool a sample in a capillary, (b) a DNP polarization unit configured to polarize the sample in the capillary, (c) a stripline-based NMR detector comprising a stripline for NMR analysis of the sample in the capillary, (d) a transport unit configured to guide the capillary from the DNP polarization unit to the stripline of stripline-based NMR detector; and (e) a heating unit configured to heat the sample in the capillary before analysis of the sample by the stripline-based NMR detector. Fast (1D-3D) NMR measurements with high resolution may be obtained.

In a method for preparing a hyperpolarised sample, for example for carrying out a magnetic resonance technique, the sample is formed as a frozen layer (4) of a starting solution on a surface of a thermoconductive sample holder (1,2). The solution comprises molecules for hyperpolarisation, and photo-reactive molecules. Free radicals are induced in the frozen layer by exposing it to radiation. The sample is then hyperpolarised by dynamic nuclear polarization at a dynamic nuclear polarization temperature. After hyperpolarisation, the temperature of the sample is raised to a thermalisation or quenching temperature by thermal conduction of heat through the sample holder, to quench the free radicals. The polarised sample may then be stored for use, retaining its polarisation.

In a method for preparing a hyperpolarised sample, for example for a magnetic resonance procedure, a starting solution comprising alpha-ketoglutaric acid and 13C-labelled molecules is frozen to form a frozen solution. The solution is irradiated with ultraviolet and/or visible radiation, to generate free radicals. The frozen solution is then hyperpolarised by applying a magnetic field to the solution while irradiating it with frequency-modulated microwave radiation.

Provided are a low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device and a low-field nuclear magnetic resonance method. The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device includes a dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) amplification unit to amplify the nuclear polarization of hydrogen atoms of water using a DNP-possible substance (DNP substance) to provide the amplified nuclear polarization to a measurement target, a sensor unit to measure a magnetic resonance signal of the measurement target using a SQUID sensor or an optically-pumped atomic magnetometer, and a measurement field coil to apply a measurement field to the measurement target. The DNP amplification unit is separated from the measurement target, the sensor unit, and the measurement field coil.

Provided are a low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device and a low-field nuclear magnetic resonance method. The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device includes a dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) amplification unit to amplify the nuclear polarization of hydrogen atoms of water using a DNP-possible substance (DNP substance) to provide the amplified nuclear polarization to a measurement target, a sensor unit to measure a magnetic resonance signal of the measurement target using a SQUID sensor or an optically-pumped atomic magnetometer, and a measurement field coil to apply a measurement field to the measurement target. The DNP amplification unit is separated from the measurement target, the sensor unit, and the measurement field coil.

The present invention relates to novel trityl-nitroxide radicals as polarizing agents for Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP).

Methods are described for preparing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or magnetic resonance spectroscopy contrast agents where the contrast agents are prepared from precursor molecules having at least four non-zero-spin nuclei that form two pairs of chemically equivalent or effectively equivalent nuclei, e.g., diphenylacetylene or diethyl oxalate. The precursor molecule is hyperpolarized and a sequence of one or more radiofrequency pulses is applied to transfer spin state population between the first and second pair of nuclei, thereby providing a non-equilibrium single state nuclear spin population. To detect the contrast agent, another sequence of one or more radiofrequency pulses is applied to transfer singlet order to polarization. No transformation of the molecular structure of the contrast agent is necessary for detection. Also described are methods of imaging targets using the contrast agents.