The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 10, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 22, 1997
Robert E Ryan, Levittown, NY (US);
John D Hulsmann, Miller Place, NY (US);
Ron G Pirich, Islip, NY (US);
Eric H Schnittger, Smithtown, NY (US);
Theodore W Hilgeman, Centerport, NY (US);
Northrop Grumman Corporation, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
Spin-polarized xenon gas is provided in medical-grade purity for use as a contrast medium in MRI studies by use of collision-induced transfer of spin energy to the xenon gas from laser-pumped spin-polarized Rb gas. The Rb gas is provided by thermally vaporizing solid Rb at low pressure in a container having an inside surface coated with a siliconizing agent and exposed to the Rb gas. The combined xenon and Rb gases are separated after transfer of the spin energy in order to provide a sufficient purity of the xenon gas by use of a cryogenic separation process. The Rb gas is removed from the xenon gas and is returned cryogenically to a solid stated to an acceptable level of purity for the xenon gas. The gas may be analyzed optically to measure the remaining Rb concentration.