Method and apparatus for preparation of spin polarized reagents

A method for conducting a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiment on a subject, the method comprising:

• creating a solid nanoscale mixture of target molecules of a target molecular species and hyperpolarized source isotopes, wherein the hyperpolarized source isotopes comprise xenon and wherein creating the solid nanoscale mixture includes:
• depositing the target molecules onto an adsorbent surface;
• introducing the xenon as a fluid onto the target molecules and the adsorbent surface;
• and
• immobilizing the xenon to a solid state;
• inducing a transfer of spin order from the hyperpolarized source isotopes to the target molecules while the xenon is immobilized, thereby establishing the target molecules in a hyperpolarized state;
• separating the source isotopes from the hyperpolarized target molecules;
• introducing the hyperpolarized target molecules into the subject;
• and
• performing an NMR measurement on the subject, wherein the NMR measurement includes detecting a signal corresponding to an isotope included in the target molecular species.