Hyperpolarized H2 O MR angiography.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to demonstrate that dissolution- dynamic nuclear polarization is capable of hyperpolarizing water protons and that the signal from the hyperpolarized bolus injection can be exploited in angiographic applications. METHODS: We hyperpolarized water/glycerol using dynamic nuclear polarization followed by dissolution in D2 O. RESULTS: A water (1) H signal enhancement of 77 times compared with 4.7 Tesla was obtained. This corresponds to a polarization of 3.5% for the 3.9 mol/L (1) H in D2 O . Moreover, a T1 in excess of 20 s was achieved. CONCLUSION: The use of hyperpolarized water as a contrast agent presents a new opportunity to obtain MRA images with high contrast-to-noise in a fraction of a second.