hyperpolarized helium

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hyperpolarized helium

a gas used in magnetic resonance imaging studies of respiratory disorders to produce images of the air spaces in the lungs.


(he'le-um) [Gr. helios, the sun + -ium (1)] He
A chemical element, one of the noble gases, atomic weight (mass) 4.0026, atomic number 2. A liter of the gas at sea level pressure and 0°C weighs 0.1785 g. The second lightest element known, it is given off by radium and other radioactive elements in the form of charged helium ions known as alpha rays. Because of its low density, it is mixed with air or oxygen and used in the treatment of various respiratory disorders. Because of its low solubility, it is mixed with air supplied to workers laboring under high atmospheric pressure, as in caissons. When so used, it reduces the time required to adjust to increasing or decreasing air pressure and reduces the danger of bends. See: noble gas
CAS # 7440-59-7

helium 3

A stable isotope of helium whose nucleus contains two protons and a single neutron. The isotope is polarizable, making it suitable as a gaseous contrast agent for use in magnetic resonance imaging.

hyperpolarized helium

Polarized helium.

polarized helium

Helium that has been placed either in a strong magnetic field or in polarized light so that all the molecules in a gas sample spin in the same direction. It is used as a radiological contrast agent in magnetic resonance imaging studies of the lung.
Synonym: hyperpolarized helium
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