RESQ — Pushing the Resolution Limits of Quantum Metabolic Imaging
Building on Europe’s efforts to translate quantum-enhanced metabolic imaging into healthcare, RESQ (Enhanced RESolution Quantum sensing for metabolic brain imaging) addresses a critical technological bottleneck: spatial resolution.
While hyperpolarized MRI (HP-MRI) provides unprecedented real-time sensitivity to metabolic shifts, current resolution limits make small or subtle lesions, such as early-stage brain metastases, difficult to resolve. RESQ brings together European industrial and academic leaders (NVision Imaging Technologies, Tesla Dynamic Coils, and Ulm University) alongside South Korea's Yonsei University to establish the first joint EU-ROK quantum imaging node.
The RESQ Consortium
The RESQ Consortium brings together an international, world-class team of experts from pioneering European industry, leading academic institutions, and a premier research center in South Korea. Our partners unite complementary expertise in quantum spin physics, advanced image acquisition and artificial intelligence, and preclinical neuro-oncology to advance metabolic brain imaging.
Our Approach
We aim to advance quantum-enhanced metabolic imaging to meet the exceptional precision demands of brain imaging by focusing on:
-
Building a Quantum Sensing Pipeline: Developing an end-to-end high-resolution platform that combines parahydrogen-induced hyperpolarization (PHIP), quantum-optimized acquisition sequences, machine learning-based reconstruction, and dedicated multi-nuclear hardware.
-
Hardware & Acquisition Innovation: Designing dual-tuned (1H/13C) brain coils and tailored spatial-spectral RF pulses to double spatial resolution while maximizing signal-to-noise ratio in metabolic MRI.
-
Preclinical Validation: Demonstrating biological and diagnostic value in established breast-to-brain metastasis models to reliably visualize small lesions, characterize metabolic heterogeneity, and monitor early therapy response and relapse.
-
EU–South Korea Quantum Node: Deploying a state-of-the-art HP-MRI prototype at Yonsei University to establish the first permanent EU-ROK quantum imaging hub, supporting researcher exchanges, joint training, and a resilient bi-regional supply chain.
-
Standardization & Translation: Delivering validated reference datasets, reconstruction pipelines, and contributions to international standards committees to lay the foundation for future clinical translation in neuro-oncology.
Contact Us
Interested in learning more about RESQ?