NMR spectroscopy and imaging of hyperpolarized gases

Since the discovery of the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) phenomenon, countless NMR techniques have been developed that are today indispensable tools in physics, chemistry, biology, and medicine. As one of the main obstacles in NMR is its notorious lack of sensitivity, different hyperpolarization (HP) methods have been established to increase signals up to several orders of magnitude. In this work, different aspects of magnetic resonance, using HP noble gases, are studied, hereby combining different disciplines of research. The first part examines new fundamental effects in NMR of HP gases, in theory and experiment. The spin echo signal, for example, shows an unexpected behavior under the influence of fast diffusion. The second part is focused on the development of a practical method to enhance the dissolution process of HP 129Xe. Two different setups for application in NMR spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are presented.