Distribution of hyperpolarized xenon in the brain following sensory stimulation: preliminary MRI findings.

Abstract

In hyperpolarized xenon magnetic resonance imaging (HP (129)Xe MRI), the inhaled spin-1/2 isotope of xenon gas is used to generate the MR signal. Because hyperpolarized xenon is an MR signal source with properties very different from those generated from water-protons, HP (129)Xe MRI may yield structural and functional information not detectable by conventional proton-based MRI methods. Here we demonstrate the differential distribution of HP (129)Xe in the cerebral cortex of the rat following a pain stimulus evoked in the animal's forepaw. Areas of higher HP (129)Xe signal corresponded to those areas previously demonstrated by conventional functional MRI (fMRI) methods as being activated by a forepaw pain stimulus. The percent increase in HP (129)Xe signal over baseline was 13-28%, and was detectable with a single set of pre and post stimulus images. Recent innovations in the production of highly polarized (129)Xe should make feasible the emergence of HP (129)Xe MRI as a viable adjunct method to conventional MRI for the study of brain function and disease.

• Authors: Mary L Mazzanti, Ronn P Walvick, Xin Zhou, Yanping Sun, Niral Shah, Joey Mansour, Jessica Gereige, Mitchell S Albert
• Journal: PloS one (PLoS One) Vol. 6 Issue 7 Pg. e21607 ( 2011) ISSN: 1932-6203 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21789173 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Xenon Isotopes
• Xenon

Topics

• Animals
• Brain (drug effects, metabolism)
• Brain Mapping
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Male
• Physical Stimulation
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Sensation (drug effects)
• Xenon (administration & dosage, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology)
• Xenon Isotopes