A method of detecting spins in a sample, includes exciting the spins of the sample by means of a radio-frequency or microwave electromagnetic pulse for flipping the spins, and detecting a noise signal produced by the return of the spins to equilibrium by means of a device for counting radio-frequency or microwave photons.

The present invention relates to a method for transferring a two-spin order of a molecule (e.g. parahydrogen) into a hyperpolarization of at least one heteronucleus, the method comprising the steps of: providing a molecule (e.g. parahydrogen pH.sub.2) comprising two protons and at least one heteronucleus (S.sub.3, S.sub.4), the protons having nuclear spins being coupled to a nuclear spin of the at least one heteronucleus; exposing the protons and the at least one heteronucleus to an e.g. homogeneous magnetic field (B.sub.0) in a z-direction, the z-direction forming a right-handed orthogonal coordinate system with an x- and a y-direction; and applying a sequence of radio frequency pulses to the protons and the at least one heteronucleus in order to transfer said two-spin order into the hyperpolarization of the at least one heteronucleus, wherein said sequence of radio frequency pulses comprises a first, a second, and a third group (N.sub.A, N.sub.B, N.sub.C) of 180 radio frequency pulses, wherein the first group (N.sub.A) of 180 radio frequency pulses is consecutively applied n.sub.A times during a first time interval (.sub.A) and wherein the second group (N.sub.B) of 180 radio frequency pulses is consecutively applied n.sub.B times during a second time interval (.sub.B) after the last first group, and wherein the third group (N.sub.C) of 180 radio frequency pulses is consecutively applied n.sub.C times during a third time interval (.sub.C) after the last second group, wherein n.sub.A, n.sub.B, n.sub.C are integer numbers, respectively.

Polarizable diamond materials and methods for obtaining nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of samples external to the diamond materials are described. The diamond materials can include .sup.12C, .sup.13C, substitutional nitrogen, and nitrogen vacancy defects in a crystalline lattice, wherein the substitutional nitrogen concentration is between 10 ppm and 200 ppm, the nitrogen vacancy concentration is between 10 ppb and 10 ppm, and the .sup.13C concentration is greater than 1.1% and not more than 25%. Methods for obtaining nuclear magnetic resonance spectra can include optically pumping a diamond material to generate electron spin hyperpolarization in nitrogen vacancy centers, transferring the electron spin hyperpolarization to nuclei of the sample, and generating a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum by applying a magnetic field to the sample, exciting the sample with a radio frequency pulse, and detecting a nuclear magnetic resonance response from the sample.

A whole measurement process includes a plurality of step combinations. Each of the step combinations is composed of a solution-state measurement step and a solid-state measurement step. In the solution-state measurement step, solution-state NMR measurement is performed such that magnetization that is to be used in the solid-state measurement step remains. In the solid-state measurement step, solid-state NMR measurement is performed by using the magnetization that remains. No waiting time for recovering magnetization is provided between the solution-state measurement step and the solid-state measurement step. The solid-state measurement step may be performed earlier, and the solution-state measurement step may be performed later. Alternatively, the two steps may be performed simultaneously.

Systems and methods employing spin editing techniques to improve magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) are discussed. Using these spin editing techniques, magnetic resonance signals of one or more unwanted chemicals (that is, chemicals whose signals are to be filtered out or suppressed) chemicals can be suppressed, so that the signal(s) of a first set of chemicals can be obtained without signals from the one or more unwanted chemicals. Information about and differences between the molecular topologies of the first set of chemicals and the one or more unwanted chemicals can be used to design a sequence that suppresses the one or more unwanted chemicals while allowing acquisition of signal(s) from the first set of chemicals.

A system and method of acquiring an image at a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is provided. Accordingly, an analog signal based on a pulse sequence and a first gain is obtained. The analog signal is converted into a digitized signal. A potential quantization error is detected in the digitized signal based on a boundary. When the detection is affirmative, a replacement analog signal based on the pulse sequence is received. At least one portion of the replacement analog signal can be based on an adjusted gain. The adjusted gain is a factor of the first gain. The replacement analog signal is digitized into a replacement digitized signal. At least one portion of the replacement digitized signal corresponding to the at least one portion of the replacement analog signal is adjusted based on a reversal of the factor.

Methods of and systems for making a hyperpolarized fluid are provided, which include exposing a fluid and parahydrogen to a catalyst. The hyperpolarized fluid can be introduced to a subject. The hyperpolarized fluid can be included in methods of imaging a subject. Also provided are methods that use the hyperpolarized fluids for detecting protein ligand interactions and for enhancing the NMR signals of biopolymers having chemically exchangeable protons.

A method of data acquisition at a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is provided. The system receives at least a portion of raw data for an image, and detects anomalies in the portion of raw data received. When anomalies are detected, the system can correct those anomalies dynamically, without waiting for a new scan to be ordered. The system can attempt to scan the offending portion of the raw data, either upon detection of the anomaly or at some point during the scan. The system can also correct anomalies using digital correction methods based on expected values. The anomalies can be detected based on variations from thresholds, masks and expected values all of which can be obtained using one of the ongoing scan, previously performed scans and apriori information relating to the type of scan being performed.

In a radio frequency (RF) coil for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the RF coil includes loops that are radially arranged. At least some areas of each of the loops overlap each other at a central portion of a radial structure formed by the loops.

The application relates to a method of determining an amount of H.sub.2O in a sample, the method comprises performing at least one NMR measurement on the sample wherein the NMR measurement comprises applying the sample in an NMR spectrometer and performing a NMR reading of .sup.17O nuclei in the sample, the reading comprises obtaining .sup.17O NMR data and determine the amount of H.sub.2O in a sample by correlating the .sup.17O NMR data to calibration data. The application also relates to a system suitable for determination of an amount H.sub.2O in a sample, the system comprises a NMR spectrometer configured for performing a .sup.17O NMR reading of the sample to obtain .sup.17O NMR data, and a computer comprising calibrating data for calibrating the .sup.17O NMR data the computer being programmed to processing the .sup.17O NMR data to determining the amount of H.sub.2O in the sample.