Systems and methods for polarized nuclear imaging and spectroscopy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11754652-B2
Application number	US-201716333811-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2017
Priority date	Sep 15, 2016
Publication date	Sep 12, 2023
Grant date	Sep 12, 2023

Abstract

Polarized nuclear imaging and spectroscopy systems and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, nuclei of a radioactive substance are polarized such that the spins of the nuclei are oriented in a specific direction, to generate a polarized radioactive tracer with anisotropic gamma ray emission. The radioactive substance is selected such that the degree of anisotropy is enhanced. A tracer is introduced into a living subject for delivery to a target area of interest in the subject. The tracer is delivered such that nuclear spin relaxation of the tracer is inhibited during transport of the tracer to the target area of interest. Gamma rays from the gamma ray emission are detected, and based on the detected gamma rays and properties associated with the anisotropic gamma ray emission, imaging data and/or spectroscopic data are obtained that are associated with the tracer in the subject. In some embodiments, a radioactive substance is delivered to a target area of interest in the subject and the nuclei of the radioactive substance are polarized following delivery of the radioactive substance to the target area of interest, such that the spins of the nuclei are oriented in a specific direction, to generate a polarized radioactive tracer with anisotropic gamma ray emission. Gamma rays are detected from the gamma ray emission, and based on the detected gamma rays and properties associated with the anisotropic gamma ray emission, imaging data and/or spectroscopic data are obtained that are associated with the tracer in the subject.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for examining a target area of interest of a living subject, comprising:
polarizing nuclei of a radioactive substance such that the spins of the nuclei are oriented in a specific direction, to generate a polarized radioactive tracer with anisotropic gamma ray emission, wherein the radioactive substance is selected such that a degree of anisotropy is enhanced;
introducing the polarized radioactive tracer into a living subject for delivery to a target area of interest in the subject, wherein the polarized radioactive tracer is delivered such that nuclear spin relaxation of the polarized radioactive tracer is inhibited during transport of the polarized radioactive tracer to the target area of interest;
detecting gamma rays from the anisotropic gamma ray emission; and
obtaining, from the detected gamma rays, at least one of imaging data and spectroscopic data associated with the tracer in the subject,
wherein delivering the polarized radioactive tracer to the target area of interest such that nuclear spin relaxation of the polarized radioactive tracer is inhibited during transport comprises:
encapsulating the polarized radioactive tracer in microbubbles or nanobubbles and transporting the polarized radioactive tracer while encapsulated in the responsive microbubbles or nanobubbles; or
embedding the polarized radioactive tracer in a nanoparticle and transporting the polarized radioactive tracer while embedded in the nanoparticle.

2. A system for examining a target area of interest of a living subject, comprising:
a polarizing system configured to polarize nuclei of a radioactive substance such that the spins of the nuclei are oriented in a specific direction, to generate a polarized radioactive tracer with anisotropic gamma ray emission, wherein the radioactive substance is selected such that degree of anisotropy is enhanced;
a delivery system configured to introduce the polarized radioactive tracer into a living subject for delivery to a target area of interest in the subject, wherein the polarized radioactive tracer is delivered such that nuclear spin relaxation of the tracer is inhibited during transport of the polarized radioactive tracer to the target area of interest;
at least one gamma detector configured to detect gamma rays from the anisotropic gamma ray emission; and
a data acquisition system configured to obtain, from the detected gamma rays, at least one of imaging data and spectroscopic data associated with the tracer in the subject;
wherein delivering the polarized radioactive tracer to the target area of interest such that nuclear spin relaxation of the polarized radioactive tracer is inhibited during transport comprises:
encapsulating the polarized radioactive tracer in microbubbles or nanobubbles and transporting the polarized radioactive tracer while encapsulated in the responsive microbubbles or nanobubbles, or
embedding the polarized radioactive tracer in a nanoparticle and transporting the polarized radioactive tracer while embedded in the nanoparticle.

Assignees

• Zheng Yuan
• Miller G Wilson
• Tobias William A
• Cates Gordon D
• Keder David Anthony
• Univ Virginia Patent Foundation

Inventors

• Zheng Yuan
• Miller G Wilson
• Tobias William A
• Cates Gordon D
• Keder David Anthony

Classifications

• G01R33/5601 Primary

  involving use of a contrast agent for contrast manipulation, e.g. a paramagnetic, super-paramagnetic, ferromagnetic or hyperpolarised contrast agent · CPC title

• G01R33/445

  MR involving a non-standard magnetic field B0, e.g. of low magnitude as in the earth's magnetic field or in nanoTesla spectroscopy, comprising a polarizing magnetic field for pre-polarisation, B0 with a temporal variation of its magnitude or direction such as field cycling of B0 or rotation of the direction of B0, or spatially inhomogeneous B0 like in fringe-field MR or in stray-field imaging · CPC title

• G01T1/1603

  with a combination of at least two different types of detectors · CPC title

• A61K51/02

  characterised by the carrier {, i.e. characterised by the agent or material covalently linked or complexing the radioactive nucleus} · CPC title

• A61K51/12

  characterised by a special physical form, e.g. emulsion, microcapsules, liposomes {, characterized by a special physical form, e.g. emulsions, dispersions, microcapsules (liposomes A61K51/1234)} · CPC title