C10794: Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy of Low Concentration Solutes with Exchangeable Protons Using Label Transfer Modules
Value Proposition: • No need to use RF saturation transfer to detect CEST contrast agents and endogenous CEST compounds. • Possibility for exchange-rate sensitive filtering for specific solute protons. • Reduced interference of background effects based on tissue MT and direct water saturation when compared to RF saturation transfer MRI. • Information from multiple proton species can be imaged specifically and simultaneously, with no need for a separate reference scan.
Technical Details: Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST) agents exploit exchange-based magnetization transfer (MT) between exchangeable solute protons and water protons. Currently, all such agents are detected using radiofrequency (RF) saturation transfer. JHU researchers have discovered a new approach which utilizes serial labeling and consecutive transfer, rather than RF saturation transfer. Disadvantages of RF saturation transfer include the need to separately saturate different species when they occur at different MR frequencies and the need for reference scans to control for the effect of interfering direct water saturation and tissue MT effects.
Looking for Partners:
• Achieves a large sensitivity enhancement (several orders of magnitude) with respect to standard MR. • Can be used to image CEST contrast agents for MRI. • Can be used for diagnosis of cancer and stroke. • Allows use of several novel types of exchange labeling for MRI, including frequency transfer, inversion transfer and dephasing transfer. Patent Status: Granted US Patent 9,140,769
