Simulation Tool for Modeling of Hyperpolarized C Metabolic Imaging: Application to Optimizing C-Fructose Acquisitions

Introduction Hyperpolarized C MR has emerged as a powerful new imaging technique for monitoring metabolic processes in vivo. In this method, optimal data acquisition schemes are critical since the magnetization achieved through hyperpolarization undergoes nonrenewable diminution caused by repetitive RF excitations and T1 relaxation of magnetization to its thermal equilibrium. In this project, a specialized simulation tool was developed to calculate optimal sampling schemes. This approach was applied and tested for improving the acquisition of hyperpolarized [2-C]-fructose, which has recently been proposed as a novel hyperpolarized C probe [2] but is limited by a relatively short T1.