New results are presented for the polarization output of our polarizing device, fractional recovery of accumulated xenon, storage times of xenon in gas and solid phase, and first image obtained with our polarized xenon on a clinical MRI scanner at the Brigham and Women's Hospital

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has transformed the field of diagnostic imaging over the past four decades, as recognized by the award of the 2004 Nobel Prize in Medicine. MRI exploits the naturally-occurring nuclear magnetism resulting from the polarization of protons along strong magnetic fields. Using lasers, physicists obtain artificial nuclear polarizations in inert gases 100,000 times greater, hence the term "hyperpolarization". When breathed in, these gases reveal both anatomical structure and physiologcal function. I will discuss the basics of MRI, the physics of hyperpolarization of gases, and the present and future biomedical applications.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with hyperpolarized xenon offers a new opportunity to view lungs and lung health. Because of its high solubility in blood and tissues, it can also offer new information on cardiovascular and brain function or even potentially could identify cancer. I review the status of hyperpolarized xenon production and the published literature on hyperpolarized xenon in vivo measurements.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has transformed the field of diagnostic imaging over the past four decades, as recognized by the award of the 2004 Nobel Prize in Medicine. MRI exploits the naturally-occurring nuclear magnetism resulting from the polarization of protons along strong magnetic fields. Using lasers, physicists obtain artificial nuclear polarizations in inert gases 100,000 times greater, hence the term "hyperpolarization". When breathed in, these gases reveal both anatomical structure and physiologcal function. I will discuss the basics of MRI, the physics of hyperpolarization of gases, and the present and future biomedical applications.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has transformed the field of diagnostic imaging over the past four decades, as recognized by the award of the 2004 Nobel Prize in Medicine. MRI exploits the naturally-occurring nuclear magnetism resulting from the polarization of protons along strong magnetic fields. Using lasers, physicists obtain artificial nuclear polarizations in inert gases 100,000 times greater, hence the term "hyperpolarization". When breathed in, these gases reveal both anatomical structure and physiologcal function. I will discuss the basics of MRI, the physics of hyperpolarization of gases, and the present and future biomedical applications.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has transformed the field of diagnostic imaging over the past four decades, as recognized by the award of the 2004 Nobel Prize in Medicine. MRI exploits the naturally-occurring nuclear magnetism resulting from the polarization of protons along strong magnetic fields. Using lasers, physicists obtain artificial nuclear polarizations in inert gases 100,000 times greater, hence the term "hyperpolarization". When breathed in, these gases reveal both anatomical structure and physiologcal function. I will discuss the basics of MRI, the physics of hyperpolarization of gases, and the present and future biomedical applications.

We have measured the spin dependent longitudinal and transverse double-polarization ³He(e,e') cross sections for 0.1 < Q² < 0.9 GeV² covering the quasielastic and resonance regions and extending into the deep inelastic scattering region. Jefferson Lab's longitudinally polarized electron beam of incident energy 0.8 GeV to 5.0 GeV was scattered from a high pressure polarized ³He target in experimental Hall A. Longitudinal and transverse target polarization was maintained, allowing extraction of both spin structure functions g₁ and g₂. This measurement allows evaluation of the structure function higher moments, including the extended GDH sum, for both ³He and the neutron. These results when compared to theoretical models provide insight into the transition from the perturbative to the non-perturbative regime of QCD.

Beam Spin Asymmetry (BSA) is studied in the Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering (DVCS) using CLAS detector at Jefferson Lab and longitudinally polarized electron beam with 4.8 GeV energy. This asymmetry is directly proportional to the imaginary part of the scattering amplitude, which relates it to the Generalized Parton distribution functions. Reaction ep \to epX is studied. A fit to the line shape of the missing mass squared distribution of (ep) is used to extract the number of single photon final states in each kinematical bin for both helicities of the beam and for the helicity sum. DVCS beam spin asymmetry is measured in several bins of Q² and t. The Q² and the t-dependences of the $\sin \phi$ moment of the asymmetry is extracted for the first time.

Traditionally, Atomic Beam Sources (ABS) are used to produce targets of nuclear polarized hydrogen or deuterium for experiments using storage rings. Laser-Driven Sources (LDS) offer a factor of 20-30 gain in the target thickness (however, with lower polarization) and may produce a higher overall Figure of Merit (FOM). The FOM is an important factor in determining the running time of an experiment. An LDS is based on the technique of spin-exchange optical pumping where alkali vapor is polarized by absorbing circularly polarized laser photons. Hydrogen (H) or Deuterium (D) molecules are broken into atoms in a dissociator and are mixed with the polarized alkali vapor. The H/D atoms are nuclear-polarized through spin-exchange collisions with the polarized alkali vapor and through subsequent hyperfine interactions during frequent H-H or D-D collisions. A Laser Driven Target (LDT) has been developed at MIT, and the preliminary results will be presented together with previous efforts on LDS/LDT. Additionally, some details on Faraday rotation diagnostics will be included.

One of the very perplexing problems in Rb-3He spin-exchange optical pumping is the low measured 3He polarization as compared to theory. With the current laser technology and good lifetime spin-exchange cells, the 3He polarization should be close to 100%. With very few exceptions, the highest polarization that has been measured is about 55%. We have made extensive studies of all the spin-exchange parameters: alkali-metal pumping rate, alkali-metal spin-relaxation rate, alkali-metal-noble gas spin-exchange rate, and noble gas relaxation rate. We identify an unknown excess 3He relaxation as the explanation, implying a temperature-dependent wall or an unreasonably large value of the anisotropic spin-exchange interaction for Rb-3He.

A meeting is planned at 11:00am between members of the UNH team and Dr. Jack Myers. Topics for discussion include development of preliminary measurements to support a proposal on cancer imaging .

A meeting is planned between members of the UNH team and the Brigham/Mirtech team on December 30, 2003 at the Brigham. Topics for discussion include development of a proposal on cardiac imaging to submit to the NIH Bioengineering Research Partnership solicitation with a deadline of January 21, 2004. Dr. Peter Ganz, MD and cardiologist at the Brigham will assemble his colleagues Andrew Selwyn, MD, and Eric Lerose MD.

A meeting is planned between members of the UNH team and the Brigham/Mirtech team on December 30, 2003 at the Brigham. Topics for discussion include development of a proposal on cardiac imaging to submit to the NIH Bioengineering Research Partnership solicitation with a deadline of January 21, 2004. Dr. Peter Ganz, MD and cardiologist at the Brigham is invited to join the meeting. Additional items include applicability of PERL technology to cardiac imaging, and development of a chest coil for imaging xenon at 0.2T and 1.5T.