Chemically induced deceleration of nuclear spin relaxation (CIDER) preserves hyperpolarization.

This research paper presents a novel approach called "Chemically Induced Deceleration of nuclear spin Relaxation" (CIDER), which can substantially reduce the longitudinal and transverse relaxation rates of hyperpolarized tracers in aqueous solutions. The study found that adding compounds like nicotinamide, urea, glycerol, or dendrons can triple the longitudinal relaxation time (T1) of tracers, especially at low magnetic fields and near the tracer's pKa. This mitigates polarization loss during the transfer from the polarizer to the scanner, enabling the use of previously unsuitable, fast-relaxing molecules. The researchers demonstrated a 15N hyperpolarization of nearly 30% for 1-15N-nicotinamide using this method. The CIDER approach offers broad potential for hyperpolarized magnetic resonance and beyond, as it can preserve the valuable polarization of various tracers.