Hyperpolarized noble gas production systems with nanocluster suppression, detection and/or filtering and related methods and devices

A flow-through optical spin exchange hyperpolarized gas production system for producing hyperpolarized gas comprising:

• a pre-saturation chamber comprising an Area Ratio (AR) of between 20 and 500, wherein the pre-saturation chamber comprises alkali metal therein;
• a heat source in communication with the pre-saturation chamber configured to heat the pre-saturation chamber to between 140 Celsius and 300 Celsius;
• a flow-through optical pumping cell in fluid communication with the pre-saturation chamber;
• a gas mixture comprising 129Xe gas in the optical pumping cell;
• a heat source in communication with the optical pumping cell, wherein the heat source is configured to heat the optical pumping cell to a temperature that is less than the pre-saturation chamber;
• a control circuit in communication with the optical pumping cell;
• a probe laser configured to project an off-resonance probe beam across the optical pumping cell, wherein the probe laser has a wavelength that generates a blue laser beam;
• and
• a detector in communication with the probe laser and control circuit, positioned across from the probe laser on an opposing side of the optical pumping cell, wherein attenuation of a signal from the probe beam is associated with production of nanoclusters in the gas flow stream in the optical pumping cell,
• wherein the system hyperpolarizes the 129Xe gas in the optical pumping cell and provides at least one bolus amount of the hyperpolarized 129Xe gas for inhalation delivery to a patient.

An optical spin exchange hyperpolarized gas production system for producing hyperpolarized gas comprising:

• a pre-saturation chamber comprising alkali metal;
• a heat source in communication with the pre-saturation chamber configured to heat the pre-saturation chamber to between 140 Celsius and 300 Celsius;
• an optical pumping cell in fluid communication with the pre-saturation chamber;
• a gas mixture comprising 129Xe gas in the optical pumping cell;
• and
• a nanocluster detection system in communication with the optical pumping cell, wherein the nanocluster detection system comprises one or more of:
• (i) a fluorescence spectroscopy detector, (ii) an IR (infrared) camera to observe plumes, and/or (iii) a probe laser and associated detector,
• wherein the system hyperpolarizes the 129Xe gas in the optical pumping cell and provides at least one bolus amount of the hyperpolarized 129Xe gas for inhalation delivery to a patient.