Optimisation of dynamic nuclear polarisation of [1-(13)C] pyruvate by addition of gadolinium-based contrast agents

Hyperpolarization via dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization: new technological and methodological advances

Dissolution-DNP is a method to boost liquid-state NMR sensitivity by several orders of magnitude. The technique consists in hyperpolarizing samples by solid-state dynamic nuclear polarization at low temperature and moderate magnetic field, followed by an instantaneous melting and dilution of the sample happening inside the polarizer. Although the technique is well established and the outstanding signal enhancement paved the way towards many applications precluded to conventional NMR, the race to develop new methods allowing higher throughput, faster and higher polarization, and longer exploitation of the signal is still vivid. In this work, we review the most recent advances on dissolution-DNP methods trying to overcome the original technique's shortcomings. The review describes some of the new approaches in the field, first, in terms of sample formulation and properties, and second, in terms of instrumentation.

Effects of contrast agents on relaxation properties of 31P metabolites

PURPOSE

Phosphorous MR spectroscopy (31P-MRS) forms a powerful, non-invasive research tool to quantify the energetics of the heart in diverse patient populations. 31P-MRS is frequently applied alongside other radiological examinations, many of which use various contrast agents that shorten relaxation times of water in conventional proton MR, for a better characterisation of cardiac function, or following prior computed tomography (CT). It is, however, unknown whether these agents confound 31P-MRS signals, for example, 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG).

METHODS

In this work, we quantitatively assess the impact of non-ionic, low osmolar iodinated CT contrast agent (iopamidol/Niopam), gadolinium chelates (linear gadopentetic acid dimeglumine/Magnevist and macrocyclic gadoterate meglumine/Dotarem) and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (ferumoxytol/Feraheme) on the nuclear T1 and T2 of 31P metabolites (ie, 2,3-DPG), and 1H in water in live human blood and saline phantoms at 11.7 T.

RESULTS

Addition of all contrast agents led to significant shortening of all relaxation times in both 1H and 31P saline phantoms. On the contrary, the T1 relaxation time of 2,3-DPG in blood was significantly shortened only by Magnevist (P = .03). Similarly, the only contrast agent that influenced the T2 relaxation times of 2,3-DPG in blood samples was ferumoxytol (P = .02).

CONCLUSION

Our results show that, unlike conventional proton MR, phosphorus MRS is unconfounded in patients who have had prior CT with contrast, not all gadolinium-based contrast agents influence 31P-MRS data in vivo, and that ferumoxytol is a promising contrast agent for the reduction in 31P-MRS blood-pool signal.

Monitoring Early Changes in Tumor Metabolism in Response to Therapy Using Hyperpolarized 13C MRSI in a Preclinical Model of Glioma

This study shows the use of hyperpolarized ¹³C magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) to assess therapeutic efficacy in a preclinical tumor model. ¹³C-labeled pyruvate was used to monitor early changes in tumor metabolism based on the Warburg effect. High-grade malignant tumors exhibit increased glycolytic activity and lactate production to promote proliferation. A rodent glioma model was used to explore altered lactate production after therapy as an early imaging biomarker for therapeutic response. Rodents were surgically implanted with C6 glioma cells and separated into 4 groups, namely, no therapy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and combined therapy. Animals were imaged serially at 6 different time points with magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T using hyperpolarized [1-¹³C]pyruvate MRSI and conventional ¹H imaging. Using hyperpolarized [1-¹³C]pyruvate MRSI, alterations in tumor metabolism were detected as changes in the conversion of lactate to pyruvate (measured as Lac/Pyr ratio) and compared with the conventional method of detecting therapeutic response using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. Moreover, each therapy group expressed different characteristic changes in tumor metabolism. The group that received no therapy showed a gradual increase of Lac/Pyr ratio within the tumor. The radiotherapy group showed large variations in tumor Lac/Pyr ratio. The chemo- and combined-therapy groups showed a statistically significant reduction in tumor Lac/Pyr ratio; however, only combined therapy was capable of suppressing tumor growth, which resulted in low endpoint mortality rate. Hyperpolarized ¹³C MRSI detected a prompt reduction in Lac/Pyr ratio as early as 2 days post combined chemo- and radiotherapies.

The Effect of Gadolinium Doping in [13 C6 ,2 H7 ]Glucose Formulations on 13 C Dynamic Nuclear Polarization at 3.35 T

The promise of hyperpolarized glucose as a non-radioactive imaging agent capable of reporting on multiple metabolic routes has led to recent advances in its dissolution-DNP (dDNP) driven polarization using UV-light induced radicals and trityl radicals at high field (6.7 T) and 1.1 K. However, most preclinical dDNP polarizers operate at the field of 3.35 T and 1.4-1.5 K. Minute amounts of Gd³⁺ complexes have shown large improvements in solid-state polarization, which can be translated to improved hyperpolarization in solution. However, this Gd³⁺ effect seems to depend on magnetic field strength, metal ion concentration, and sample formulation. The effect of varying Gd³⁺ concentrations at 3.35 T has been described for ¹³ C-labeled pyruvic acid and acetate. However, it has not been studied for other compounds at this field. The results presented here suggest that Gd³⁺ doping can lead to various concentration and temperature dependent effects on the polarization of [¹³ C₆ ,² H₇ ]glucose, not necessarily similar to the effects observed in pyruvic acid or acetate in size or direction. The maximal polarization for [¹³ C₆ ,² H₇ ]glucose appears to be at a Gd³⁺ concentration of 2 mM, when irradiating for more than 2 h at the negative maximum of the DNP intensity profile. Surprisingly, for shorter irradiation times, higher polarization levels were determined at 1.50 K compared to 1.45 K, at a [Gd³⁺ ]=1.3 mM. This was explained by the build-up time constant and maximum at these temperatures.

Effects of glassing matrix deuteration on the relaxation properties of hyperpolarized 13C spins and free radical electrons at cryogenic temperatures

Glassing matrix deuteration could be a beneficial sample preparation method for 13C dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) when large electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) width free radicals are used. However, it could yield the opposite DNP effect when samples are doped with small EPR width free radicals. Herein, we have investigated the influence of solvent deuteration on the 13C nuclear and electron relaxation that go along with the effects on 13C DNP intensities at 3.35 T and 1.2 K. For 13C DNP samples doped with trityl OX063, the 13C DNP signals decreased significantly when the protons are replaced by deuterons in glycerol:water or DMSO:water solvents. Meanwhile, the corresponding solid-state 13C T1 relaxation times of trityl OX063-doped samples generally increased upon solvent deuteration. On the other hand, 13C DNP signals improved by a factor of ∼1.5 to 2 upon solvent deuteration of samples doped with 4-oxo-TEMPO. Despite this 13C DNP increase, there were no significant differences recorded in 13C T1 values of TEMPO-doped samples with nondeuterated or fully deuterated glassing matrices. While solvent deuteration appears to have a negligible effect on the electron T1 relaxation of both free radicals, the electron T2 relaxation times of these two free radicals generally increased upon solvent deuteration. These overall results suggest that while the solid-phase 13C DNP signals are dependent upon the changes in total nuclear Zeeman heat capacity, the 13C relaxation effects are related to 2H/1H nuclear spin diffusion-assisted 13C polarization leakage in addition to the dominant paramagnetic relaxation contribution of free radical centers.

Gadolinium Effect at High-Magnetic-Field DNP: 70% 13C Polarization of [U-13C] Glucose Using Trityl

We show that the trityl electron spin resonance (ESR) features, crucial for an efficient dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) process, are sample-composition-dependent. Working at 6.7 T and 1.1 K with a generally applicable DNP sample solvent mixture such as water/glycerol plus trityl, the addition of Gd³⁺ leads to a dramatic increase in [U-¹³C] glucose polarization from 37 ± 4% to 69 ± 3%. This is the highest value reported to date and is comparable to what can be achieved on pyruvic acid. Moreover, performing ESR measurements under actual DNP conditions, we provide experimental evidence that gadolinium doping not only shortens the trityl electron spin-lattice relaxation time but also modifies the radical g-tensor. The latter yielded a considerable narrowing of the ESR spectrum line width. Finally, in the frame of the spin temperature theory, we discuss how these two phenomena affect the DNP performance.

The influence of Ho3+ doping on 13C DNP in the presence of BDPA

Polarization transfer from unpaired electron radicals to nuclear spins at low-temperature is achieved using microwave irradiation by a process broadly termed dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). The resulting signal enhancement can easily exceed factors of 104 when paired with cryogenic cooling of the sample. Dissolution-DNP couples low temperature polarization methods with a rapid dissolution step, resulting in a highly polarized solution that can be used for metabolically sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate is a powerful metabolic imaging agent for investigation of in vitro and in vivo cellular metabolism by means of NMR spectroscopy and MRI. Radicals (trityl OX063 and BDPA) with narrower EPR linewidths typically produce higher nuclear polarizations when carbon-13 is the target nucleus. Increased solid-state polarization is observed when narrow line radicals are doped with lanthanide ions such as Gd3+, Ho3+, Dy3+, and Tb3+. Earlier results have demonstrated an incongruence between DNP experiments with trityl and BDPA, where the optimal concentrations for polarization transfer are disparate despite similar electron spin resonance linewidths. Here, the effects of Ho-DOTA on the solid-state polarization of [1-13C]pyruvic acid were compared for 3.35 T (1.4 K) and 5 T (1.2 K) systems using BDPA as a radical. Multiple concentrations of BDPA were doped with variable concentrations of Ho-DOTA (0, 0.2, 0.5, 1, and 2 mM), and dissolved in 1 : 1 (v/v) of [1-13C] pyruvic acid/sulfolane mixture. Our results reveal that addition of small amounts of Ho-DOTA in the sample preparation increases the solid-state polarization for [1-13C] pyruvic acid, with the optimum Ho-DOTA concentration of 0.2 mM. Without Ho-DOTA doping, the optimum BDPA concentration found for 3.35 T (1.4 K) is 40 mM, and for 5 T (1.2 K) system it is about 60 mM. In both systems, inclusion of Ho-DOTA in the 13C DNP sample leads to a change in the breadth (ΔDNP) of the extrema between the P(+) and P(-) frequencies in microwave spectra. At no combination of BDPA and Ho3+ did polarizations reach those achievable with trityl. Simplified analysis of increased polarization as a function of decreased electron T1e used to explain results in trityl are insufficient to describe DNP with BDPA.

Dynamic nuclear polarization of carbonyl and methyl 13C spins of acetate using 4-oxo-TEMPO free radical

Hyperpolarization of ¹³C-enriched biomolecules via dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) has enabled real-time metabolic imaging of a variety of diseases with superb specificity and sensitivity. The source of the unprecedented liquid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic or imaging signal enhancements of >10 000-fold is the microwave-driven DNP process that occurs at a relatively high magnetic field and cryogenic temperature. Herein, we have methodically investigated the relative efficiencies of ¹³C DNP of single or double ¹³C-labeled sodium acetate with or without ²H-enrichment of the methyl group and using a 4-oxo-TEMPO free radical as the polarizing agent at 3.35 T and 1.4 K. The main finding of this work is that not all ¹³C spins in acetate are polarized with equal DNP efficiency using this relatively wide electron spin resonance linewidth free radical. In fact, the carbonyl ¹³C spins have about twice the solid-state ¹³C polarization level of methyl ¹³C spins. Deuteration of the methyl group provides a DNP signal improvement of methyl ¹³C spins on a par with that of carbonyl ¹³C spins. On the other hand, both the double ¹³C-labeled [1,2-¹³C₂] acetate and [1,2-¹³C₂, ²H₃] acetate have a relative solid-state ¹³C polarization at the level of [2-¹³C] acetate. Meanwhile, the solid-state ¹³C T₁ relaxation times at 3.35 T and 1.4 K were essentially the same for all six isotopomers of ¹³C acetate. These results suggest that the intramolecular environment of ¹³C spins plays a prominent role in determining the ¹³C DNP efficiency, while the solid phase ¹³C T₁ relaxation of these samples is dominated by the paramagnetic effect due to the relatively high concentration of free radicals.

Biomolecular imaging of 13C-butyrate with dissolution-DNP: Polarization enhancement and formulation for in vivo studies

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of hyperpolarized isotopically enriched molecules facilitates the non-invasive real-time investigation of in vivo tissue metabolism in the time-frame of a few minutes; this opens up a new avenue in the development of biomolecular probes. Dissolution Dynamic Nuclear Polarization is a hyperpolarization technique yielding a more than four orders of magnitude increase in the ¹³C polarization for in vivo Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy studies. As reported in several studies, the dissolution Dynamic Nuclear Polarization polarization performance relies on the chemico-physical properties of the sample. In this study, we describe and quantify the effects of the different sample components on the dissolution Dynamic Nuclear Polarization performance of [1-¹³C]butyrate. In particular, we focus on the polarization enhancement provided by the incremental addition of the glassy agent dimethyl sulfoxide and gadolinium chelate to the formulation. Finally, preliminary results obtained after injection in healthy rats are also reported, showing the feasibility of an in vivo Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy study with hyperpolarized [1-¹³C]butyrate using a 3T clinical set-up.

Magnetic-Field-Dependent Lifetimes of Hyperpolarized 13C Spins at Cryogenic Temperature

Using a home-built cryogen-free dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) system with a variable magnetic field capability, ¹³C spin-lattice T₁ relaxation times of hyperpolarized [1-¹³C] carboxylates (sodium acetate, glycine, sodium pyruvate, and pyruvic acid) doped with trityl OX063 free radical were systematically measured for the first time at different field strengths up to 9 T at T = 1.8 K. Our data reveal that the ¹³C T₁ values of these frozen hyperpolarized ¹³C samples vary drastically with the applied magnetic field B according to an apparent empirical power-law dependence (¹³C T₁ ∝ B^α, 2.3 < α < 3.1), with relaxation values ranging from a few hundred seconds at 1 T to over 200,000 s at fields close to 9 T. This low temperature relaxation behavior can be ascribed approximately to a model that accounts for the combined effect of ¹³C-¹H intramolecular dipolar interaction and the relaxation contribution from the paramagnetic impurities present in the DNP sample. Since the lifetime or T₁ storage of the hyperpolarized state is intimately linked to DNP efficiency, these ¹³C relaxation data at cryogenic temperature have important theoretical and experimental implications as the DNP of ¹³C-labeled biomolecules is pushed to higher magnetic fields.

The effect of Ho3+ doping on 13C dynamic nuclear polarization at 5 T

Dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization was introduced in 2003 as a method for producing hyperpolarized 13C solutions suitable for metabolic imaging. The signal to noise ratio for the imaging experiment depends on the maximum polarization achieved in the solid state. Hence, optimization of the DNP conditions is essential. To acquire maximum polarization many parameters related to sample preparation can be modulated. Recently, it was demonstrated that Ho3+, Dy3+, Tb3+, and Gd3+ complexes enhance the polarization at 1.2 K and 3.35 T when using the trityl radical as the primary paramagnetic center. Here, we have investigated the influence of Ho-DOTA on 13C solid state DNP at 1.2 K and 5 T. We have performed 13C DNP on [1-13C] sodium acetate in 1 : 1 (v/v) water/glycerol with 15 mM trityl OX063 radicals in the presence of a series of Ho-DOTA concentrations (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 5 mM). We have found that adding a small amount of Ho-DOTA in the sample preparation not only enhances the 13C polarization but also decreases the buildup time. The optimum Ho-DOTA concentration was 2 mM. In addition, the microwave sweep spectrum changes character in a manner that suggests both the cross effect and thermal mixing are active mechanisms for trityl radical at 5 T and 1.2 K.

Transition Metal Doping Reveals Link between Electron T1 Reduction and 13C Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Efficiency

Optimal efficiency of dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is essential to provide the required high sensitivity enhancements for in vitro and in vivo hyperpolarized 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and imaging (MRI). At the nexus of the DNP process are the free electrons, which provide the high spin alignment that is transferred to the nuclear spins. Without changing DNP instrumental conditions, one way to improve 13C DNP efficiency is by adding trace amounts of paramagnetic additives such as lanthanide (e.g., Gd3+, Ho3+, Dy3+, Tb3+) complexes to the DNP sample, which has been observed to increase solid-state 13C DNP signals by 100-250%. Herein, we have investigated the effects of paramagnetic transition metal complex R-NOTA (R = Mn2+, Cu2+, Co2+) doping on the efficiency of 13C DNP using trityl OX063 as the polarizing agent. Our DNP results at 3.35 T and 1.2 K show that doping the 13C sample with 3 mM Mn2+-NOTA led to a substantial improvement of the solid-state 13C DNP signal by a factor of nearly 3. However, the other transition metal complexes Cu2+-NOTA and Co2+-NOTA complexes, despite their paramagnetic nature, had essentially no impact on solid-state 13C DNP enhancement. W-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements reveal that the trityl OX063 electron T1 was significantly reduced in Mn2+-doped samples but not in Cu2+- and Co2+-doped DNP samples. This work demonstrates, for the first time, that not all paramagnetic additives are beneficial to DNP. In particular, our work provides a direct evidence that electron T1 reduction of the polarizing agent by a paramagnetic additive is an essential requirement for the improvement seen in solid-state 13C DNP signal.

13C Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Using a Trimeric Gd3+ Complex as an Additive

Dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is one of the most successful techniques that resolves the insensitivity problem in liquid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and imaging (MRI) by amplifying the signal by several thousand-fold. One way to further improve the DNP signal is the inclusion of trace amounts of lanthanides in DNP samples doped with trityl OX063 free radical as the polarizing agent. In practice, stable monomeric gadolinium complexes such as Gd-DOTA or Gd-HP-DO3A are used as beneficial additives in DNP samples, further boosting the DNP-enhanced solid-state ¹³C polarization by a factor of 2 or 3. Herein, we report on the use of a trimeric gadolinium complex as a dopant in ¹³C DNP samples to improve the ¹³C DNP signals in the solid-state at 3.35 T and 1.2 K and consequently, in the liquid-state at 9.4 T and 298 K after dissolution. Our results have shown that doping the ¹³C DNP sample with a complex which holds three Gd³⁺ ions led to an improvement of DNP-enhanced ¹³C polarization by a factor of 3.4 in the solid-state, on par with those achieved using monomeric Gd³⁺ complexes but only requires about one-fifth of the concentration. Upon dissolution, liquid-state ¹³C NMR signal enhancements close to 20 000-fold, approximately 3-fold the enhancement of the control samples, were recorded in the nearby 9.4 T high resolution NMR magnet at room temperature. Comparable reduction of ¹³C spin-lattice T₁ relaxation time was observed in the liquid-state after dissolution for both the monomeric and trimeric Gd³⁺ complexes. Moreover, W-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) data have revealed that 3-Gd doping significantly reduces the electron T₁ of the trityl OX063 free radical, but produces negligible changes in the EPR spectrum, reminiscent of the results with monomeric Gd³⁺-complex doping. Our data suggest that the trimeric Gd³⁺ complex is a highly beneficial additive in ¹³C DNP samples and that its effect on DNP efficiency can be described in the context of the thermal mixing mechanism.

Influence of Dy3+ and Tb3+ doping on 13C dynamic nuclear polarization

Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is a technique that uses a microwave-driven transfer of high spin alignment from electrons to nuclear spins. This is most effective at low temperature and high magnetic field, and with the invention of the dissolution method, the amplified nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals in the frozen state in DNP can be harnessed in the liquid-state at physiologically acceptable temperature for in vitro and in vivo metabolic studies. A current optimization practice in dissolution DNP is to dope the sample with trace amounts of lanthanides such as Gd3+ or Ho3+, which further improves the polarization. While Gd3+ and Ho3+ have been optimized for use in dissolution DNP, other lanthanides have not been exhaustively studied for use in C13 DNP applications. In this work, two additional lanthanides with relatively high magnetic moments, Dy3+ and Tb3+, were extensively optimized and tested as doping additives for C13 DNP at 3.35 T and 1.2 K. We have found that both of these lanthanides are also beneficial additives, to a varying degree, for C13 DNP. The optimal concentrations of Dy3+ (1.5 mM) and Tb3+ (0.25 mM) for C13 DNP were found to be less than that of Gd3+ (2 mM). W-band electron paramagnetic resonance shows that these enhancements due to Dy3+ and Tb3+ doping are accompanied by shortening of electron T1 of trityl OX063 free radical. Furthermore, when dissolution was employed, Tb3+-doped samples were found to have similar liquid-state C13 NMR signal enhancements compared to samples doped with Gd3+, and both Tb3+ and Dy3+ had a negligible liquid-state nuclear T1 shortening effect which contrasts with the significant reduction in T1 when using Gd3+. Our results show that Dy3+ doping and Tb3+ doping have a beneficial impact on C13 DNP both in the solid and liquid states, and that Tb3+ in particular could be used as a potential alternative to Gd3+ in C13 dissolution DNP experiments.

13 C dynamic nuclear polarization using isotopically enriched 4-oxo-TEMPO free radicals

The nitroxide-based free radical 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) is a widely used polarizing agent in NMR signal amplification via dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). In this study, we have thoroughly investigated the effects of ¹⁵ N and/or ² H isotopic labeling of 4-oxo-TEMPO free radical on ¹³ C DNP of 3 M [1-¹³ C] sodium acetate samples in 1 : 1 v/v glycerol : water at 3.35 T and 1.2 K. Four variants of this free radical were used for ¹³ C DNP: 4-oxo-TEMPO, 4-oxo-TEMPO-¹⁵ N, 4-oxo-TEMPO-d₁₆ and 4-oxo-TEMPO-¹⁵ N,d₁₆ . Our results indicate that, despite the striking differences seen in the electron spin resonance (ESR) spectral features, the ¹³ C DNP efficiency of these ¹⁵ N and/or ² H-enriched 4-oxo-TEMPO free radicals are relatively the same compared with ¹³ C DNP performance of the regular 4-oxo-TEMPO. Furthermore, when fully deuterated glassing solvents were used, the ¹³ C DNP signals of these samples all doubled in the same manner, and the ¹³ C polarization buildup was faster by a factor of 2 for all samples. The data here suggest that the hyperfine coupling contributions of these isotopically enriched 4-oxo-TEMPO free radicals have negligible effects on the ¹³ C DNP efficiency at 3.35 T and 1.2 K. These results are discussed in light of the spin temperature model of DNP. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effect of ionic interaction between a hyperpolarized magnetic resonance chemical probe and a gadolinium contrast agent for the hyperpolarized lifetime after dissolution

In hyperpolarization of (13)C-enriched magnetic resonance chemical probes in the solid-state, a trace amount of gadolinium (Gd) contrast agent can be used to maximize polarization of the (13)C nuclear spins. Here, we report systematic measurement of the spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) and enhancement level of (13)C-enriched chemical probes in the presence of various Gd contrast agents in the liquid-state after dissolution. Using two different (13)C probes having opposite electric charges at neutral pH, we clearly show the T1 of hyperpolarized (13)C was barely affected by the use of a Gd complex that displays repulsive interaction with the (13)C probe in solution, whilst T1 was drastically shortened when there was ionic attraction between probe and complex.

Impact of Ho(3+)-doping on (13)C dynamic nuclear polarization using trityl OX063 free radical

We have investigated the effects of Ho-DOTA doping on the dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) of [1-(13)C] sodium acetate using trityl OX063 free radical at 3.35 T and 1.2 K. Our results indicate that addition of 2 mM Ho-DOTA on 3 M [1-(13)C] sodium acetate sample in 1 : 1 v/v glycerol : water with 15 mM trityl OX063 improves the DNP-enhanced (13)C solid-state nuclear polarization by a factor of around 2.7-fold. Similar to the Gd(3+) doping effect on (13)C DNP, the locations of the positive and negative (13)C maximum polarization peaks in the (13)C microwave DNP sweep are shifted towards each other with the addition of Ho-DOTA on the DNP sample. W-band electron spin resonance (ESR) studies have revealed that while the shape and linewidth of the trityl OX063 ESR spectrum was not affected by Ho(3+)-doping, the electron spin-lattice relaxation time T1 of trityl OX063 was prominently reduced at cryogenic temperatures. The reduction of trityl OX063 electron T1 by Ho-doping is linked to the (13)C DNP improvement in light of the thermodynamic picture of DNP. Moreover, the presence of Ho-DOTA in the dissolution liquid at room temperature has negligible reduction effect on liquid-state (13)C T1, in contrast to Gd(3+)-doping which drastically reduces the (13)C T1. The results here suggest that Ho(3+)-doping is advantageous over Gd(3+) in terms of preservation of hyperpolarized state-an important aspect to consider for in vitro and in vivo NMR or imaging (MRI) experiments where a considerable preparation time is needed to administer the hyperpolarized (13)C liquid.

The effect of glassing solvent deuteration and Gd3+ doping on 13C DNP at 5 T

We report the influence of glassing solvent deuteration and Gd³⁺ doping on ¹³C dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) performed on [1-¹³C] sodium acetate at B₀ = 5 T and 1.2 K.

Dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization of non-self-glassing agents: spectroscopy and relaxation of hyperpolarized [1-13C]acetate

The intrinsic physicochemical properties of the sample formulation are the key factors for efficient hyperpolarization through dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (dissolution-DNP). We provide a comprehensive characterization of the DNP process for Na-[1-(13)C]acetate selected as a model for non-self-glassing agents: the solid-state polarization dynamics of different formulations and the effect of the paramagnetic agent (trityl radical) on the pattern of polarization and the relaxation profile were extensively analyzed. We quantified the effects of the glassing agent and Gd(3+)-chelate on DNP performance. The results reported here describe the constraints of the acetate formulation useful for future studies in this field with non-self-glassing enriched molecules.

Development and performance of a 129-GHz dynamic nuclear polarizer in an ultra-wide bore superconducting magnet

OBJECTIVE

We sought to build a dynamic nuclear polarization system for operation at 4.6 T (129 GHz) and evaluate its efficiency in terms of (13)C polarization levels using free radicals that span a range of ESR linewidths.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A liquid helium cryostat was placed in a 4.6 T superconducting magnet with a 150-mm warm bore diameter. A 129-GHz microwave source was used to irradiate (13)C enriched samples. Temperatures close to 1 K were achieved using a vacuum pump with a 453-m(3)/h roots blower. A hyperpolarized (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signal was detected using a saddle coil and a Varian VNMRS console operating at 49.208 MHz. Samples doped with free radicals BDPA (1,3-bisdiphenylene-2-phenylallyl), trityl OX063 (tris{8-carboxyl-2,2,6,6-benzo(1,2-d:4,5-d)-bis(1,3)dithiole-4-yl}methyl sodium salt), galvinoxyl ((2,6-di-tert-butyl-α-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-oxo-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-ylidene)-p-tolyloxy), 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 4-oxo-TEMPO (4-Oxo-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy) were assayed. Microwave dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) spectra and solid-state (13)C polarization levels for these samples were determined.

RESULTS

(13)C polarization levels close to 50 % were achieved for [1-(13)C]pyruvic acid at 1.15 K using the narrow electron spin resonance (ESR) linewidth free radicals trityl OX063 and BDPA, while 10-20 % (13)C polarizations were achieved using galvinoxyl, DPPH and 4-oxo-TEMPO.

CONCLUSION

At this field strength free radicals with smaller ESR linewidths are still superior for DNP of (13)C as opposed to those with linewidths that exceed that of the (1)H Larmor frequency.

Hyperpolarized choline as an MR imaging molecular probe: feasibility of in vivo imaging in a rat model

PURPOSE

To assess the feasibility of choline MRI using a new choline molecular probe for dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) hyperpolarized MRI.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Male Sprague-Dawley rats with an average weight of 400 ± 20 g (n = 5), were anesthetized and injection tubing was placed in the tail vein. [1,1,2,2-D4 , 1-(13) C]choline chloride (CMP1) was hyperpolarized by DNP and injected into rats at doses ranging from 12.6 to 50.0 mg/kg. Coronal projection (13) C imaging was performed on a 3 Tesla clinical MRI scanner (bore size 60 cm) using a variable flip angle gradient echo sequence. Images were acquired 15 to 45 s after the start of bolus injection. Signal intensities in regions of interest were determined at each time point and compared.

RESULTS

(13) C MRI images of hyperpolarized CMP1 at a 50 mg/kg dose showed time-dependent organ distribution patterns. At 15 s, high intensities were observed in the inferior vena cava, heart, aorta, and kidneys. At 30 s, most of the signal intensity was localized to the kidneys. These distribution patterns were reproduced using 12.6 and 25 mg/kg doses. At 45 s, only signal in the kidneys was detected.

CONCLUSION

Hyperpolarized choline imaging with MRI is feasible using a stable-isotope labeled choline analog (CMP1). Nonradioactive imaging of choline accumulation may provide a new investigatory dimension for kidney physiology. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;41:917-923. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Enhanced performance large volume dissolution-DNP

A systematic study of the performance of the dissolution process in dissolution-DNP is presented. A relatively simple set of modifications is made to the standard Hypersense dissolution system to enable polarization of large volume samples. These consist of a large volume sample cup along with supporting modifications to the dissolution head and related components. Additional modifications were made to support the mapping of the temperature/pressure space of the dissolution process as well as enabling the use of large volumes of solvent and improving the robustness of the system. No loss of polarization was observed as sample size was increased to the 1 g capacity of the large volume cup and for a dilution factor as low as 1:10.

Quantitation of a spin polarization-induced nuclear Overhauser effect (SPINOE) between a hyperpolarized (13) C-labeled cell metabolite and water protons

The spin polarization-induced nuclear Overhauser effect (SPINOE) describes the enhancement of spin polarization of solvent nuclei by the hyperpolarized spins of a solute. In this communication we demonstrate that SPINOEs can be observed between [1,4-(13) C2 ]fumarate, hyperpolarized using the dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization technique, and solvent water protons. We derive a theoretical expression for the expected enhancement and demonstrate that this fits well with experimental measurements. Although the magnitude of the effect is relatively small (around 2% measured here), the SPINOE increases at lower field strengths, so that at clinically relevant magnetic fields (1.5-3 T) it may be possible to track the passage through the circulation of a bolus containing a hyperpolarized (13) C-labeled substrate through the increase in solvent water (1) H signal.

Influence of deuteration in the glassing matrix on 13C dynamic nuclear polarization

Replacement of protons by deuterons in the glassing solvents led to 2-3-fold improvement of the (13)C dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) solid-state NMR signal for samples doped with large electron spin resonance (ESR) linewidth free radicals galvinoxyl, DPPH, and 4-oxo-TEMPO. Meanwhile, the reverse effect is observed for (13)C DNP using small ESR linewidth free radicals BDPA and trityl OX063.

Electron spin resonance studies of trityl OX063 at a concentration optimal for DNP

We have performed temperature-dependent electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements of the stable free radical trityl OX063, an efficient polarizing agent for dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), at the optimum DNP concentration (15 mM). We have found that (i) when compared to the W-band electron spin-lattice relaxation rate T1e(-1) of other free radicals used in DNP at the same concentration, trityl OX063 has slower T1e(-1) than BDPA and 4-oxo-TEMPO. At T > 20 K, the T1e(-1)vs. T data of trityl OX063 appears to follow a power law dependence close to the Raman process prediction whereas at T < 10 K, electronic relaxation slows and approaches the direct process behaviour. (ii) Gd(3+) doping, a factor known to enhance DNP, of trityl OX063 samples measured at W-band resulted in monotonic increases of T1e(-1) especially at temperatures below 20-40 K while the ESR lineshapes remained essentially unchanged. (iii) The high frequency ESR spectrum can be fitted with an axial g-tensor with a slight g-anisotropy: g(x) = g(y) = 2.00319(3) and g(z) = 2.00258(3). Although the ESR linewidth D monotonically increases with field, the temperature-dependent T1e(-1) is almost unchanged as the ESR frequency is increased from 9.5 GHz to 95 GHz, but becomes faster at 240 GHz and 336 GHz. The ESR properties of trityl OX063 reported here may provide insights into the efficiency of DNP of low-γ nuclei performed at various magnetic fields, from 0.35 T to 12 T.