A team of researchers led by a Ghanaian scientist at the Wayne State University, Joseph Nana Gyesi, has developed a revolutionary technology to make advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) more accessible to hospitals across Africa.

The innovation, known as the continuous delivery of cryogen-free xenon system, enables scientists to produce and maintain hyperpolarised xenon-129 gas without expensive liquid nitrogen cooling.

The hyperpolarised xenon-129 is a special gas that can enhance MRI signals by over ten thousand times, allowing doctors to observe organs such as the lungs in real time.

Traditionally, producing and using this gas required complex and expensive cryogenic systems, but the new technology can do it without liquid nitrogen.

Lasers to lungs

In 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved hyperpolarised xenon-129 for lung imaging, a milestone that allowed doctors to visualise airflow, oxygen exchange and detect early signs of diseases such as asthma and pulmonary fibrosis.

However, the technology’s potential has remained largely untapped in the developing continents such as Africa.

Traditional production of polarised xenon relies on a delicate process known as spin-exchange optical pumping, which uses laser-excited rubidium vapour and cryogenic cooling to align the xenon atoms.

The cryogen-free system also offers environmental advantages.

For instance, it consumes less energy and avoids the challenges of cryogen storage in tropical climates because it does not require nitrogen.

Cryogenic barrier

In a telephone interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Gyesi said, “We wanted to make powerful imaging technology more accessible, especially to parts of the world where cost and infrastructure often stand in the way”.

He explained that the cryogen-free continuous delivery system designed by the team can maintain xenon’s polarisation for up to 15 minutes at room temperature. The result is a steady-flow gas stream that can be fed directly into MRI scanners or analytical instruments.

“We have shown that it’s possible to continuously deliver hyperpolarised xenon gas at room temperature, which means hospitals without cryogenic infrastructure can now consider using this powerful imaging tool”, he further explained.

Mr Gyesi added that producing polarised xenon typically required freezing the gas with liquid nitrogen, stressing “that process isn’t just expensive — it’s not practical for hospitals or laboratories in developing countries, including Ghana”.

He stated that the team turned what used to be a stop-and-start batch process into a smooth, continuous one, adding that even after travelling several metres through tubing, over 16 per cent of the xenon’s magnetisation was preserved — that’s more than enough for clinical and laboratory use.

According to him, the system’s simplicity and portability could transform medical imaging in low-resource environments.

“Many hospitals in Ghana already have MRI machines, but the high cost of imported contrast agents often limits them.

This system offers a cost-effective alternative that could expand what those machines can do,” he said.

New frontier 

The implications for African healthcare are significant.

By eliminating the need for liquid nitrogen and reducing operational costs, the new system opens the door for regional hospitals, universities, and research institutions to conduct advanced imaging studies that were previously out of reach.

He said, “it is about making high-tech science possible in low-resource settings.

This could change how we diagnose and study lung diseases and even how we monitor drug interactions or material absorption in laboratories”.

Beyond healthcare, he pointed out that the hyperpolarised xenon can act as a molecular sensor, detecting how drugs bind to their targets or how gases are absorbed in materials — capabilities that could benefit Ghanaian researchers in environmental, pharmaceutical and energy sectors.