Hyperpolarized gas MRI is a well-established tool for assessing lung structure and function in both humans and large animals. However, its utility in small animal models has been limited to terminal studies, as proper gas delivery requires an MR-compatible ventilation scheme that has thus far only been achievable using a terminal intubation process. In this study, we developed a method for delivering hyperpolarized xenon-129 gas to free-breathing mice. An array of pulse sequences were used to acquire high-resolution gas- and dissolved-phase images of the heart and lung structure.
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