Automated dynamic pressure-responsive dispensing systems, and associated methods and computer program products

A hyperpolarized gas production system, comprising:

• an optical pumping cell configured for hyperpolarizing gas via spin-exchange with an optically pumped alkali metal, the optical pumping cell having an associated port and a known volume, wherein, in operation, the optical pumping cell has an associated pressure of above about 1 atm;
• an enclosed gas flow path extending between the pressurized pumping cell and a dispensing outlet port, the gas flow path having at least first, second, and third spaced apart individually operable valves positioned in fluid communication therewith and located along the gas flow path, the first valve located upstream of the second valve closer to the optical pumping cell, wherein the gas flow path located intermediate the first, second, and third spaced apart valves define a first meted holding space with an associated volume that can be selectively closed off from the remainder of the gas flow path, the gas flow path, the dispensing port being located downstream of the first meted space;
• a pressure sensor operably associated with the gas flow path;
• and
• a control module operably associated with the first, second, and third spaced apart valves and the pressure sensor, the control module being configured to automatically direct the operational sequence of the opening and closing of the first, second, and third valves, wherein, in operation, the control module directs a plurality of hyperpolarized gas capture and release cycles, with the third valve closed, the control module sequentially closes the second valve, opens the first valve, and then closes the first valve to close the meted space from the remainder of the gas flow path to capture a discrete amount of hyperpolarized gas in the first meted space, then the control module subsequently opens the second valve while the first valve is closed to release the discrete amount of hyperpolarized gas captured in the first meted space so that the discrete amount of hyperpolarized gas travels to the dispensing port.

A system for dispensing hyperpolarized gas, comprising:

• means for evacuating and purging a gas flow path of contaminants;
• means for dynamically adjusting in situ aliquot amounts of a buffer gas and hyperpolarized gas desired to yield a patient bolus of a pharmaceutical product formulation;
• means for automatically serially rapidly temporarily capturing and releasing discrete amounts of buffer gas to dispense a desired cumulative amount of buffer gas from the gas flow path into a gas dispensing outlet;
• means for accumulating the captured and released discrete amounts of buffer gas exiting the dispensing outlet;
• means for serially rapidly temporarily capturing and releasing discrete amounts of hyperpolarized gas to dispense a desired cumulative amount of hyperpolarized gas;
• and
• means for accumulating the captured and released discrete amounts of hyperpolarized gas exiting the dispensing outlet.

A method of dispensing hyperpolarized gas formulations, comprising:

• providing a pressurized hyperpolarized gas source;
• directing the hyperpolarized gas from the hyperpolarized gas source to travel downstream in a predetermined enclosed gas flow path to an intermediate portion of the gas flow path;
• capturing and releasing discrete amounts of the hyperpolarized gas sealing in the intermediate portion of the gas flow path, the intermediate portion having a known volume;
• and
• directing the discrete amounts of the captured and released hyperpolarized gas to travel downstream from the intermediate portion of the gas flow path to exit a gas dispensing port associated therewith to produce a first bolus of hyperpolarized gas product.