DF/HCC Program Affiliation

Neuro-Oncology
Cancer Imaging

Research Abstract

The Hyperpolarized Noble Gas MRI Laboratory in the MRI division at the Brigham and Women's Hospital is developing a radically new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique, using hyperpolarized 129Xe and 3He, to produce high-contrast images of important body tissues that have resisted conventional MRI techniques. Hyperpolarization can increase the MRI detectability of Xe and He up to a hundred thousand times. This technology has shown promise for diagnostic imaging of the lungs, brain, colon, and other parts of the body. Clinical testing is now underway for diagnosis of emphysema, asthma, cystic fibrosis and various other pulmonary diseases, and for screening patients for lung reduction surgery and transplantation. Hyperpolarized 3He also shows great promise as an endoluminal contrast agent for the diagnosis of colon cancer and may be have the ability to detect small pre-cancerous poloyps in humans. 3HeMR hysterosalpingography is also being investigated. Early studies demonstrate clear depiction of the uterine cavity and confirmation of tubal patency. Due to its biological inertness, 3He shows great promise for hte asssessment of tubal patency and detection of polyps.

Publications

• Tzeng YS, Mansour J, Handler Z, Gereige J, Shah N, Zhou X, Albert M.Measurement of the internal diameter of plastic tubes from projection MR images using a model-based least-squares fit approach.Med Phys 2006 Jun;33(6):1643-53.
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• Desikan RS, Ségonne F, Fischl B, Quinn BT, Dickerson BC, Blacker D, Buckner RL, Dale AM, Maguire RP, Hyman BT, Albert MS, Killiany RJ.An automated labeling system for subdividing the human cerebral cortex on MRI scans into gyral based regions of interest.
  16530430
• Lee L, Sudentas P, Donohue B, Asrican K, Worku A, Walker V, Sun Y, Schmidt K, Albert MS, El-Hashemite N, Lader AS, Onda H, Zhang H, Kwiatkowski DJ, Dabora SL.Efficacy of a rapamycin analog (CCI-779) and IFN-gamma in tuberous sclerosis mouse models.J Am Di
• Lewis TA, Tzeng YS, McKinstry EL, Tooker AC, Hong K, Sun Y, Mansour J, Handler Z, Albert MS.Quantification of airway diameters and 3D airway tree rendering from dynamic hyperpolarized 3He magnetic resonance imaging.Magn Reson Med 2005 Feb;53(2):474-8.
  15678546
• Albert MS, Kacher DF, Balamore D, Venkatesh AK, Jolesz FA.T(1) of (129)Xe in blood and the role of oxygenation.J Magn Reson 1999 Sep;140(1):264-73.
  10479571
• Albert MS, Cates GD, Driehuys B, Happer W, Saam B, Springer CS, Wishnia A.Biological magnetic resonance imaging using laser-polarized 129Xe.Nature 1994 Jul 21;370(6486):199-201.
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