Kerstin Mnnemann1, Bjrn C. Dollmann1, O Neudert1, Andrew K. Whittaker2, Kristofer J. Thurecht2
1Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz, Germany; 2Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
The first hyperpolarization of biocompatible hyperbranched polymers using parahydrogen induced polarization (PHIP) and Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) is reported. 1H NMR signal enhancements of 1500-fold could be obtained via PHIP whereas 19F Overhauser DNP resulted in an enhancement of -37 for the fluorine containing moieties in the molecules. These results open up new possibilities for designing dual-modal molecular MR imaging agents that combine highly sensitive PHIP or DNP enhancements for measuring relatively fast biological processes with an additional imaging mechanism that is likely much less sensitive (normal 19F MRI), but which would provide contrast over a longer time-scale.