Proton-enhanced 13C imaging/spectroscopy by polarization transfer.

Carbon-13 magnetic resonance imaging/spectroscopy (CMRI/S) was performed using polarization transfer techniques where sensitivity of the carbon signal was enhanced by transferring the proton spin order to the carbon nuclei. The experimental feasibility of using polarization transfer techniques at 2.0 T was demonstrated with a phantom and an intact chicken egg. The potential clinical applications of CMRI/S with polarization transfer include the assessment of prostate cancer. Preliminary results using human prostate specimens are presented.