Nuclear spin polarization can be si
gnificantly increased throu
gh the process of hyperpolarization, leadin
g to an increase in the sensitivity of nuclear ma
gnetic resonance experiments by 4–8 orders of ma
gnitude. Hyperpolarized
gases can be more readily separated from the compounds used to mediate the hyperpolarization processes. These pure hyperpolarized
gases enabled many novel MRI applications includin
g the visualization of void spaces, ima
gin
g of lun
g function, remote detection, etc. This article covers the fundamentals of the preparation of hyperpolarized
gases and focuses on selected applications of interest to biomedicine and materials science. More information can be found in the Minireview by E. Y. Chekmenev et al. on
g/10.1002/chem.201603884" rel="references:https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.201603884">page 725 ff.