Abstract #3990

A Metastability Exchange Optical Pumping (MEOP) High Field Polarizer for Helium-3 Working in a Clinical Scanner

Guilhem Collier¹, Tadeusz Palasz¹, Bartosz Glowacz¹, Anna Wojna¹, Zbigniew Olejniczak², Mateusz Suchanek³, Tomasz Dohnalik¹

¹Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Malopolska, Poland; ²Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Malopolska, Poland; ³Agricultural University of Cracow, Krakow, Malopolska, Poland

Imaging of air spaces in the lungs with magnetic resonance became possible thanks to the use of hyperpolarized noble gases such as helium-3. MEOP process has been studied by our group for several years in non-standard conditions (magnetic field > 0.5T and pressures > 10mbar) in order to increase its efficiency. Following the promising results obtained during these systematic studies (the production rate being improved by an order of magnitude compared to the best results obtained in standard conditions), a prototype of high field polarizer working inside a medical scanner at 1.5T was designed and successfully used for human lung MRI.