CPIR Equipment
Center for Pulmonary Imaging Research (CPIR) Equipment
CPIR Custom 129Xe Hyperpolarizer: This polarizer was constructed and installed in the CPIR hyperpolarized gas laboratory in 2014 by CPIR staff. Based on a static-cell, open-source design, this polarizer is be capable of high-throughput HP 129Xe production in quantities exceeding 1 L and yields polarization in excess of 25%. The polarizer is equipped with a custom designed a custom laser diode array (DILAS Diode Laser Inc.) capable of delivering up to 200 W of IR laser power with a spectral width of ≈ 0.13 nm FWHM centered at 794.7 nm. The narrowed spectral width is achieved through individually-cooled volume Bragg gratings, and the module also features fully-enclosed beam homogenization, circular-polarization, and expansion optics, emitting a hexagonal beam approximately 2.5” diameter. It is also equipped with onboard NMR capabilities and spectrophotometer to monitor hyperpolarization in situ.
Polarean Model 9810 129Xe Hyperpolarizer: The Model 9810 polarizer was installed in the CPIR hyperpolarized gas laboratory in 2014 and upgraded in 2016 to improve polarization efficiency. It is capable of high-throughput HP 129Xe production in quantities ranging from ~100 ml to 1.5 L. The polarizer is equipped with a QPC Sultra-100 Laser System, emitting 75 W of IR power at 795 nm and spectrally narrowed to a linewidth of 0.2 nm (full-width at half max, FWHM). It is also equipped with onboard NMR capabilities and a spectrophotometer to monitor hyperpolarization process in situ. Unpolarized xenon gas mixtures are delivered to the polarizer cell using an ultrahigh purity gas manifold with inline getters to remove gas impurities. Under standard operating conditions, this polarizer now generates ~25% polarization for clinical volume (~1 L accumulation) and ~30% for preclinical volumes (~100 ml).
Polarean Model 9820 129Xe Hyperpolarizer: This system integrates a 75-mm diameter, 330-mm long optical cell to effectively use the power from a 200W QPC laser (linewidth of 0.3 nm, FWHM). This model incorporates a Rb pre-saturator, allowing the cell body to operate ~50°C cooler than the 9810, avoiding Rb nano-cluster formation and enhancing spin exchange efficiency. The cryogenic xenon accumulation region and flow path have been modified, relative to the Model 9810, to eliminate all zero-field crossings experienced by HP 129Xe as it travels from the ~20G optical pumping (Helmholtz) field to the ~2kG permanent magnet holding field and then to earth’s field outside the polarizer. The Xe cryotrap also incorporates a larger freezing surface area to provide more efficient freeze–thaw and better xenon retention at higher flow rates. Together, these improvements increased 129Xe polarization to ~50% at the 300-1000 ml volumes needed for pediatric and adult imaging.
Polarean Polarization Measurement Station: This station (Polarean, Model 2881) is a calibrated, 20-G NMR instrument that can be used to quantify the absolute polarization of both HP 3He and 129Xe. It is also capable of measuring longitudinal relaxation rates in both gases for protocol development, troubleshooting, and hyperpolarization physics research applications.
CPIR Custom 3He Hyperpolarizer: This polarizer was constructed and installed in the CPIR hyperpolarized gas laboratory in 2014 by CPIR staff. The polarizer is equipped with a custom laser diode array (DILAS Diode Laser Inc.) capable of delivering up to 100 W of IR laser power with a spectral width of 0.13 nm FWHM centered at 794.7 nm. It is also equipped with onboard NMR capabilities to monitor hyperpolarization in situ. This polarizer is be capable of HP 3He production in quantities up to 1 L within ~4 hours and yields polarization in excess of 60% when polarizing overnight.
