US 5,860,295 A · Cryogenic accumulator for spin-polarized xenon-129

Abstract

A method and apparatus for accumulation of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe is disclosed. The method and apparatus of the invention enable the continuous or episodic accumulation of flowing hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe in frozen form. The method also permits the accumulation of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe to the substantial exclusion of other gases, thereby enabling the purification of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe. The invention further includes .sup.129 Xe accumulation means which is integrated with .sup.129 Xe hyperpolarization means in a continuous or pulsed flow arrangement. The method and apparatus enable large scale production, storage, and usage of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe for numerous purposes, including imaging of human and animal subjects through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A method of transporting hyperpolarized xenon-129 from a hyperpolarization site to a use site remote from the hyperpolarization site, comprising the steps of:

hyperpolarizing xenon-129 gas in a hyperpolarizer unit at a hyperpolarization site;
filling a collection vessel with a desired quantity of hyperpolarized xenon-129 after said hyperpolarizing step;
sealing the collection vessel after said filling step to capture the hyperpolarized xenon-129 therein;
and
transporting the sealed collection vessel to a site remote from the hyperpolarization site.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cryogenic accumulator for spin-polarized xenon-129

Life of this patent

Cryogenic accumulator for spin-polarized xenon-129

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8