Claims for Patent: 11,052,161

Summary for Patent: 11,052,161

Title:	Hyperpolarized noble gas production systems with nanocluster suppression, detection and/or filtering and related methods and devices
Abstract:	Systems, methods and related devices used to produce and collect polarized noble gas to inhibit, suppress, detect or filter alkali metal nanoclusters to preserve or increase a polarization level thereof. The systems can include a pre-sat chamber that has an Area Ratio between 20 and 500.
Inventor(s):	Freeman Matthew S., Driehuys Bastiaan
Assignee:	Duke University
Application Number:	US16113607
Patent Claims:	1. A pre-saturation device for a flow-through spin-exchange hyperpolarizer , comprising:a pre-saturation member having an internal pre-saturation chamber, wherein the pre-saturation member is sealably attachable to a manifold of a spin-exchange hyperpolarizer upstream of an optical pumping cell, wherein the pre-saturation member has opposing first and second ends, and wherein the pre-saturation member comprises alkali metal held therein that, prior to first use and/or prior to attachment to the manifold, is in an amount of 0.5 grams to 5 grams.2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the alkali metal comprises at least one of Rb claim 1 , Cs claim 1 , Na claim 1 , and K and/or any combination thereof with a cumulative amount claim 1 , for a new and unused pre-saturation member claim 1 , being in a range of 1-3 grams.3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pre-saturation member is configured for attachment to the manifold of the hyperpolarizer in a sealed state to inhibit the alkali metal from being exposed to air claim 1 , and wherein after attachment to the manifold claim 1 , the pre-saturation chamber defines an open flow-through channel segment of the manifold.4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pre-saturation chamber has an Area Ratio (AR) of between 20 and 500.5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the AR is in a range of 20 and 200.6. The device of claim 4 , wherein the AR is about 100.7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pre-saturation chamber comprises a silica wick.8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pre-saturation member comprises at least one quick connect and/or valve and releasably engages the manifold.9. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:a flow-through optical pumping cell downstream of, and in fluid communication with, the pre-saturation chamber; and{'sup': '129', 'a gas mixture comprising Xe gas in the optical pumping cell.'}10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the optical pumping cell is sized and configured to generate at least one bolus amount of hyperpolarized Xe gas for inhalation delivery to a patient.11. The device of claim 10 , further comprising an accumulator in fluid communication with the optical pumping cell and located downstream of the optical pumping cell claim 10 , wherein the accumulator collects the at least one bolus amount of the hyperpolarized Xe gas.12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the accumulator is a cold finger that is configured to collect the at least one bolus amount of hyperpolarized Xe gas at a temperature below its freezing point to thereby provide a frozen at least one bolus amount of hyperpolarized Xe gas product at the accumulator.13. The device of claim 11 , further comprising a bag that is releasably coupled to the accumulator and that holds the at least one bolus amount of the hyperpolarized Xe gas for inhalation delivery to the patient.14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the alkali metal comprises rubidium (Rb) in an amount of 0.5 grams to 5 grams.15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pre-saturation chamber is tubular.16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pre-saturation chamber comprises internal surface features that rise above a floor a distance that is about 0.0001 inches to about 0.25 inches.17. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pre-saturation chamber comprises an internal heating element.18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the pre-saturation member comprises an external casing and thermal insulating material.19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the external casing is metallic and is thinner than the insulating material.20. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pre-saturation chamber has a curvilinear shape.21. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pre-saturation member has a primary body and the first and second ends of the pre-saturation member reside on opposing longitudinally spaced portions of the primary body and each of the first and second ends has a reduced size relative to the primary body.22. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pre-saturation chamber has a length of about 25 centimeters.23. A pre-saturation chamber for a flow-through spin-exchange hyperpolarizer claim 1 , comprising:a pre-saturation chamber, wherein the pre-saturation chamber is sealably attachable to a manifold of a spin-exchange hyperpolarizer upstream of an optical pumping cell, wherein the pre-saturation chamber has longitudinally spaced apart and opposing first and second end portions, wherein the pre-saturation chamber has an Area Ratio (AR) of between 20 and 500, and wherein the pre-saturation chamber comprises rubidium in an amount of 0.5 grams to 5 grams prior to first use and/or prior to attachment to the manifold.24. The pre-saturation chamber of claim 23 , wherein the pre-saturation chamber is configured for attachment to the manifold of the hyperpolarizer in a sealed state to inhibit the rubidium from being exposed to air claim 23 , and wherein after attachment to the manifold claim 23 , the pre-saturation chamber defines an open flow-through channel segment of the manifold.25. The pre-saturation chamber of claim 23 , wherein the first and second end portions each comprise one or more of: (i) metal seals claim 23 , (ii) valves claim 23 , and/or (iii) threaded attachment segments for sealably and releasably attaching to a pressurized fluid flow manifold as the manifold of the hyperpolarizer.26. The pre-saturation chamber of claim 23 , wherein the pre-saturation chamber has a length of about 25 centimeters claim 23 , and wherein the pre-saturation chamber comprises internal surface features that rise above a floor a distance that is about 0.0001 inches to about 0.25 inches.27. A pre-saturation device for a flow-through spin-exchange hyperpolarizer claim 23 , comprising:a pre-saturation member having an internal pre-saturation chamber, wherein the pre-saturation member is sealably attachable to a manifold of a spin-exchange hyperpolarizer upstream of an optical pumping cell, wherein the pre-saturation member has opposing first and second ends, and wherein the pre-saturation member comprises alkali metal, prior to first use and/or prior to attachment to the manifold, in an amount of 0.5 grams to 5 grams,wherein the first and second ends of the pre-saturation member are longitudinally spaced apart and each of the first and second ends comprises, one or more of: (i) metal seals, (ii) valves, and/or (iii) threaded attachment segments for sealably and releasably attaching to a pressurized fluid flow manifold as the manifold of the hyperpolarizer.