Polarean enters xenon MRI supply agreement with UVA Health

Lung MRI developer Polarean Imaging has entered into a new xenon MRI supply agreement with University of Virginia Health (UVA Health).

The first scan of a human patient with Xenon MRI took place at UVA Health, according to the vendor. The institution upgraded its two research-grade hyperpolarizers in 2024 to clinical-grade systems provided by Polarean. UVA Health needed some essential additional equipment from Polarean to allow for scans with Xenon MRI, Polarean said.

UVA Health's research program recently received a $7.4 million U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to evaluate lung transplant rejection and abnormalities in the lungs of electronic cigarette users. The study will evaluate the clinical utility of Xenon MRI, focusing on improving diagnosis and treatment monitoring, Polarean said.