This is the first textbook dedicated to CEST imaging and covers the fundamental principles of saturation transfer, key features of CEST agents that enable the production of imaging contrast, and practical aspects of preparing image-acquisition and post-processing schemes suited for in vivo applications. CEST is a powerful MRI contrast mechanism with unique features, and the rapid expansion it has seen over the past 15 years since its original discovery in 2000 has created a need for a graduate-level handbook describing all aspects of pre-clinical, translational, and clinical CEST imaging. The book provides an illustrated historical perspective by leaders at the five key sites who developed CEST imaging, from the initial saturation transfer NMR experiments performed in the 1960s in Stockholm, Sweden, described by Sture Forsén, to the work on integrating the basic principles of CEST into imaging by Robert Balaban, Dean Sherry, Silvio Aime, and Peter van Zijl in the United States and Italy.

The editors, Drs. Michael T. McMahon, Assaf A. Gilad, Jeff W. M. Bulte, and Peter C. M. van Zijl, have been pioneers developing this field at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Kennedy Krieger Institute including contributions to Nature Medicine, Nature Biotechnology, Nature Materials, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. As recognition for their initial development of the field, Drs. van Zijl and Balaban were awarded the Laukien Prize in April 2016, established in 1999 to honor the memory of Professor Gunther Laukien, a co-founder of Bruker Biospin GmbH.

“This textbook is very helpful for those who are eager to fully understand the principles and development of chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) techniques. One strength of this book is in the discussion of probes, and another strength is having Sture Forsén and Robert Balaban describe their early studies. This book will have a great impact promoting the clinical translation of CEST imaging.”

―Prof. Renhua Wu, Shantou University, China

“This book presents an in-depth and comprehensive description of CEST physics, techniques, and applications. It is in time for the dawn of label-free molecular imaging that explores chemical exchange phenomena the nature offers. It is also a collection of very updated perspectives of the future of CEST magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), quite informative, and fun to read for imaging physicists, radiologists, and clinician scientists.”

―Prof. Ed X. Wu, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

“This is an excellent book on CEST MRI with state-of-the-art chapters from thought leaders in the field. It touches on all aspects of CEST: image acquisition methods and data processing, development of exogenous CEST probes, and applications of CEST in clinical and biomedical imaging. A very valuable addition to biomedical imaging canon, and a text that will be beneficial to students and experts alike.”

―Prof. Peter Caravan, Harvard Medical School, USA