Patents by Inventor Brian Saam
Brian Saam has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 6593144Abstract: A method of imaging a spatial distribution of a noble gas by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry includes detecting a spatial distribution of at least one noble gas by NMR spectrometry and generating a representation of said spatial distribution of the noble gas. The noble gas is selected from noble gas isotopes having nuclear spin, preferably Xenon-129 and/or Helium-3. The noble gas is at least thermally or equilibrium polarized and is preferably hyperpolarized, most preferably hyperpolarized by optical (laser) pumping in the presence of an alkali metal or by metastability exchange. The generation of the representation of the noble gas spatial distribution includes at least one dimension, preferably 2 or 3 dimensions of the spatial distribution. The noble gas may be imaged according to the invention in chemical or biological systems, preferably in a human or animal subject or organ system or tissue thereof.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2000Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignees: The Trustees of Princeton University, The Research Foundation of State University of New YorkInventors: Mitchell S. Albert, Dilip Balamore, Gordon D. Cates, Jr., Bastiaan Driehuys, William Happer, Brian Saam, Arnold Wishnia
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Patent number: 6241966Abstract: A method of imaging a spatial distribution of a noble gas by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry includes detecting a spatial distribution of at least one noble gas by NMR spectrometry and generating a representation of said spatial distribution of the noble gas. The noble gas is selected from noble gas isotopes having nuclear spin, preferably Xenon-129 and/or Helium-3. The noble gas is at least thermally or equilibrium polarized and is preferably hyperpolarized, most preferably hyperpolarized by optical (laser) pumping in the presence of an alkali metal or by metastability exchange. The generation of the representation of the noble gas spatial distribution includes at least one dimension, preferably 2 or 3 dimensions of the spatial distribution. The noble gas may be imaged according to the invention in chemical or biological systems, preferably in a human or animal subject or organ system or tissue thereof.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 1998Date of Patent: June 5, 2001Assignees: The Trustees of Princeton University, The Research Foundation of State University of New YorkInventors: Mitchell S. Albert, Dilip Balamore, Gordon D. Cates, Jr., Bastiaan Driehuys, William Happer, Brian Saam, Arnold Wishnia
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Publication number: 20010000726Abstract: A method of imaging a spatial distribution of a noble gas by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry includes detecting a spatial distribution of at least one noble gas by NMR spectrometry and generating a representation of said spatial distribution of the noble gas. The noble gas is selected from noble gas isotopes having nuclear spin, preferably Xenon-129 and/or Helium-3. The noble gas is at least thermally or equilibrium polarized and is preferably hyperpolarized, most preferably hyperpolarized by optical (laser) pumping in the presence of an alkali metal or by metastability exchange. The generation of the representation of the noble gas spatial distribution includes at least one dimension, preferably 2 or 3 dimensions of the spatial distribution. The noble gas may be imaged according to the invention in chemical or biological systems, preferably in a human or animal subject or organ system or tissue thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2000Publication date: May 3, 2001Inventors: Mitchell S. Albert, Dilip Balamore, Gordon D. Cates, Bastiaan Driehuys, William Happer, Brian Saam, Arnold Wishnia
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Patent number: 6123919Abstract: A method of imaging a spatial distribution of a noble gas by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry includes detecting a spatial distribution of at least one noble gas by NMR spectrometry and generating a representation of said spatial distribution of the noble gas. The noble gas is selected from noble gas isotopes having nuclear spin, preferably Xenon-129 and/or Helium-3. The noble gas is at least thermally or equilibrium polarized and is preferably hyperpolarized, most preferably hyperpolarized by optical (laser) pumping in the presence of an alkali metal or by metastability exchange. The generation of the representation of the noble gas spatial distribution includes at least one dimension, preferably 2 or 3 dimensions of the spatial distribution. The noble gas may be imaged according to the invention in chemical or biological systems, preferably in a human or animal subject or organ system or tissue thereof.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 1999Date of Patent: September 26, 2000Assignees: The Trustees of Princeton University, The Research Foundation of State University of New YorkInventors: Mitchell S. Albert, Dilip Balamore, Gordon D. Cates, Jr., Bastiaan Driehuys, William Happer, Brian Saam, Arnold Wishnia
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Patent number: 5860295Abstract: A method and apparatus for accumulation of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe is disclosed. The method and apparatus of the invention enable the continuous or episodic accumulation of flowing hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe in frozen form. The method also permits the accumulation of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe to the substantial exclusion of other gases, thereby enabling the purification of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe. The invention further includes .sup.129 Xe accumulation means which is integrated with .sup.129 Xe hyperpolarization means in a continuous or pulsed flow arrangement. The method and apparatus enable large scale production, storage, and usage of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe for numerous purposes, including imaging of human and animal subjects through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 1998Date of Patent: January 19, 1999Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton UniversityInventors: Gordon D. Cates, Jr., Bastiaan Driehuys, William Happer, Eli Miron, Brian Saam, Daniel Walter
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Patent number: 5809801Abstract: A method and apparatus for accumulation of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe is disclosed. The method and apparatus of the invention enable the continuous or episodic accumulation of flowing hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe in frozen form. The method also permits the accumulation of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe to the substantial exclusion of other gases, thereby enabling the purification of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe. The invention further includes .sup.129 Xe accumulation means which is integrated with .sup.129 Xe hyper polarization means in a continuous or pulsed flow arrangement. The method and apparatus enable large scale production, storage, and usage of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe for numerous purposes, including imaging of human and animal subjects through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 1996Date of Patent: September 22, 1998Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton UniversityInventors: Gordon D. Cates, Jr., Bastiaan Driehuys, William Happer, Eli Miron, Brian Saam
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Patent number: 5789921Abstract: A method of imaging a spatial distribution of a noble gas by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry includes detecting a spatial distribution of at least one noble gas by NMR spectrometry and generating a representation of said spatial distribution of the noble gas. The noble gas is selected from noble gas isotopes having nuclear spin, preferably Xenon-129 and/or Helium-3. The noble gas is at least thermally or equilibrium polarized and is preferably hyperpolarized, most preferably hyperpolarized by optical (laser) pumping in the presence of an alkali metal or by metastability exchange. The generation of the representation of the noble gas spatial distribution includes at least one dimension, preferably 2 or 3 dimensions of the spatial distribution. The noble gas may be imaged according to the invention in chemical or biological systems, preferably in a human or animal subject or organ system or tissue thereof.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: August 4, 1998Assignees: The Research Foundation of State University of New York, The Trustees of Princeton UniversityInventors: Mitchell S. Albert, Dilip Balamore, Gordon D. Cates, Jr., Bastiaan Driehuys, William Happer, Brian Saam, Arnold Wishnia
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Patent number: 5785953Abstract: A method of imaging a spatial distribution of a noble gas by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry includes detecting a spatial distribution of at least one noble gas by NMR spectrometry and generating a representation of said spatial distribution of the noble gas. The noble gas is selected from noble gas isotopes having nuclear spin, preferably Xenon-129 and/or Helium-3. The noble gas is at least thermally or equilibrium polarized and is preferably hyperpolarized, most preferably hyperpolarized by optical (laser) pumping in the presence of an alkali metal or by metastability exchange. The generation of the representation of the noble gas spatial distribution includes at least one dimension, preferably 2 or 3 dimensions of the spatial distribution. The noble gas may be imaged according to the invention in chemical or biological systems, preferably in a human or animal subject or organ system or tissue thereof.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 1996Date of Patent: July 28, 1998Assignees: The Trustees of Princeton University, The Research Foundation of State University of New YorkInventors: Mitchell S. Albert, Dilip Balamore, Gordon D. Cates, Jr., Bastiaan Driehuys, William Happer, Brian Saam, Arnold Wishnia
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Patent number: 5642625Abstract: A method and apparatus for hyperpolarization of flowing noble gases is disclosed, including means for hyperpolarization of noble gases in a continuous flow arrangement. Noble gases such as xenon-129 and helium-3 can be hyperpolarized using the disclosed method and apparatus. Preferably, the noble gas is hyperpolarized via spin exchange between atoms of the noble gas and an alkali metal such as rubidium. Also, a method and apparatus for accumulation and/or storage of hyperpolarized noble gases in a continuous flow arrangement is provided. The method and apparatus enable large scale production, storage, and usage of hyperpolarized noble gases for numerous purposes, including imaging of human and animal subjects through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 1996Date of Patent: July 1, 1997Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton UniversityInventors: Gordon D. Cates, Jr., Bastiaan Driehuys, William Happer, Hunter Middleton, Eli Miron, Brian Saam, Daniel Walter
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Patent number: 5545396Abstract: A method of imaging a spatial distribution of a noble gas by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry includes detecting a spatial distribution of at least one noble gas by NMR spectrometry and generating a representation of said spatial distribution of the noble gas. The noble gas is selected from noble gas isotopes having nuclear spin, preferably Xenon-129 and/or Helium-3. The noble gas is at least thermally or equilibrium polarized and is preferably hyperpolarized, most preferably hyperpolarized by optical (laser) pumping in the presence of an alkali metal or by metastability exchange. The generation of the representation of the noble gas spatial distribution includes at least one dimension, preferably 2 or 3 dimensions of the spatial distribution. The noble gas may be imaged according to the invention in chemical or biological systems, preferably in a human or animal subject or organ system or tissue thereof.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 1994Date of Patent: August 13, 1996Assignees: The Research Foundation of State University of New York, The Trustees of Princeton University Office of Research and Project AdministrationInventors: Mitchell S. Albert, Dilip Balamore, Gordon D. Cates, Jr., Bastiaan Driehuys, William Happer, Brian Saam, Arnold Wishnia