Improved Workflow for Hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI through Automated Adjustments

Motivation: Standard scanner adjustment routines are not generally applicable for hyperpolarized 129Xe lung MRI and thus manual input of required adjustment values by the technologist or researcher is typically required, which is both cumbersome and prone to error. Goal(s): Develop an automated adjustment-processing framework that makes the workflow for hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI analogous to that for routine proton MRI. Approach: An automated adjustment-processing framework was implemented via online custom adjustment calculations and pulse-sequence modifications to automatically read and set values from the custom calculations. Results: The automated adjustment-processing framework permitted 129Xe MRI with appropriate adjustment values and without manual interaction from the scanner operator. Impact: The proposed automated adjustment-processing framework results in a workflow for xenon lung MRI that mirrors that for routine clinical proton MRI, increasing the accessibility of hyperpolarized 129Xe lung MRI and facilitating its translation into clinical use.