BERKELEY, Calif., Oct. 23 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists have created a new technique for magnetic resonance imaging to detect signals at 10,000 times lower concentrations than now possible.
The researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory say their new technique -- called HYPER-CEST, for hyperpolarized xenon chemical exchange saturation transfer -- holds great promise for molecular imaging, in which the spatial distribution of specific molecules is detected within an organism.
Ultimately, the scientists said, HYPER-CEST could become a valuable tool for medical diagnosis, including the early detection of cancer.
In the technique, xenon atoms are hyperpolarized with laser light to enhance their MRI signal and then incorporated into a biosensor and linked to specific protein or ligand targets. Those hyperpolarized xenon biosensors generate highly selective contrast at sites where they are bound, dramatically boosting the strength of the MRI signal and resulting in spatial images of the chosen molecular or cellular target.
The research -- led by Alexander Pines and David Wemmer -- is detailed in the Oct. 20 issue of the journal Science.
Berkeley Lab conducts unclassified scientific research and is managed by the University of California.
