Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Inhaled hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI is a non-invasive, rapidly acquired and radiation risk free lung imaging method, which directly and spatially measures the structure and function of the business unit of the lung where gas exchange happens - the alveoli and acinar ducts. This MRI approach provides a way to visualize and quantify the regions of the lung that participate in ventilation/perfusion, and those that do not. Simultaneous ventilation/perfusion lung measurements of functional gas exchange within the lungs are possible due to the natural solubility of xenon in lung tissue compared to other imaging gases. Therefore, 129Xe is a unique probe for measuring the lung parenchyma gas exchange, lung ventilation and perfusion. Remarkably, 129Xe is not just for lungs. Once inside, 129Xe can also travel to brain tissue dissolved in blood illuminating information on the structure and function of the brain as well. My research program focuses on the development of advanced novel and radiation free imaging methods for lung and brain, such as lung/brain perfusion measurements using 129Xe MRI. Hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI for lungs and brain requires several main hardware components: an MRI scanner with broadband capability (for nonproton MRI), dedicated Radio Frequency (RF) coils, a xenon polarizer (production of hyperpolarized 129Xe), and a small animal ventilator for the pre-clinical program. We request funding for a chest RF coil and small animal ventilator as these pieces of equipment are critically important to establish our unique PET/MRI lung/brain imaging program at Lawson Health Research Institute, as Lawson has a 3T Siemens Biograph mMR, PET/MRI scanner. The purchase of the requested research tools will fully unlock my research program and therefore, permit us to accelerate the development of novel imaging methods for 129Xe lung MRI, meaning development of the tools for the accurate assessment of the lung damage related to Covid-19. With my proposed research tools and pulse sequence development expertise, the accomplishment of these goals is possible. The requested infrastructure will be in continuous daily operation in my labs by two PhD students, two undergrad students (research assistants) and a staff member: a MRI/PET specialist (Lawson PET/MRI lab). We expect full time use of the requested equipment.