NMR methods for monitoring blood clot formation

1. A method of monitoring a clotting or dissolution process in a first blood sample comprising:

(i) making a series of magnetic resonance relaxation rate measurements of water in said first blood sample at a series of time points during said process;

(ii) transforming said measurements using an algorithm that distinguishes two or more separate water populations within said first blood sample at one or more of said time points, wherein each separate water population is characterized by one or more magnetic resonance parameters having one or more values;

(iii) following step (ii), for at least two of the two or more separate water populations, calculating the values of the one or more magnetic resonance parameters; and

(iv) on the basis of the results of step (iii), monitoring said process.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first blood sample is a plasma sample, is a platelet poor plasma sample, is a platelet rich plasma sample, comprises isolated and washed platelets, is a whole blood sample, or is a clotted blood sample.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to step (i), to said first blood sample is added fibrinogen, a clotting initiator, a clotting inhibitor, or tissue plasminogen activator (TPA).

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(v) making a series of second relaxation rate measurements of water in a second blood sample from said subject;

(vi) transforming said second relaxation rate measurements using an algorithm that distinguishes two or more separate water populations within the second blood sample at one or more of said time points, wherein each separate water population is characterized by one or more magnetic resonance parameters, wherein each magnetic resonance parameter has one or more values;

(vii) following step (vi), for at least two of the two or more separate water populations, calculating the values of the one or more magnetic resonance parameters; and

(viii) on the basis of the results of step (iii) and step (vii), monitoring said process.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

(a) prior to step (i), to said first blood sample is added platelet inhibitor, and no platelet inhibitor is added to said second blood sample;

(b) prior to step (i), to said first blood sample is added platelet activator, and no platelet activator is added to said second blood sample;

(c) prior to step (i), to said first blood sample is added a clotting initiator selected from RF, AA, and CK; and prior to step (v), to said second blood sample is added a clotting initiator selected from ADP and thrombin; or

(d) prior to step (i), to said first blood sample is added fibrinogen; and prior to step (v), to said second blood sample is added fibrinogen.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

(a) said magnetic resonance parameter value is characteristic of functional fibrinogen-associated water molecules in said blood sample;

(b) at least one of said two or more separate water populations is positively correlated with platelet activation, platelet inhibition, clotting time, platelet-associated clot strength, hematocrit, or fibrinogen-associated clot strength;

(c) said magnetic resonance parameter values indicate a low platelet activity, a high platelet activity, a high functional fibrinogen activity, or a low functional fibrinogen activity;

(d) said algorithm comprises an algorithm selected from the group consisting of a multi-exponential algorithm, a bi-exponential algorithm, a tri-exponential algorithm, a decaying exponential algorithm, a Laplace transform, a goodness-of-fit algorithm, an SSE algorithm, a least squares algorithm, and a non-negative least squares algorithm; or

(e) said relaxation rate is selected from the group consisting of T1, T2, T1/T2 hybrid, T 1rho , T 2rho , and T 2 *.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said relaxation rate measurements comprise a T2 measurement, and wherein said measurement provides a decay curve.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said two or more water populations comprise a water population having a serum-associated T2 signal and water population having a clot-associated T2 signal.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

(f) calculating the T2 value for serum associated water prior to initiating clot formation in a blood sample comprising red blood cells, and on the basis of said T2 value, determining the hematocrit of said blood sample;

(g) calculating the difference between said serum-associated T2 signal and said clot-associated T2 signal for a blood sample undergoing a clotting process; and on the basis of said difference, determining the strength of the clot formed in said blood sample;

(h) calculating the difference between said serum-associated T2 signal and said clot-associated T2 signal for a blood sample comprising platelets and undergoing a clotting process; and on the basis of said difference, determining the activity of the platelets in said blood sample;

(i) following initiation of a clotting process in a blood sample, measuring the period of time prior to the initial detection of said clot-associated T2 signal; and on the basis of said period of time, determining the clotting time for said blood sample; or

(j) following initiation of a clotting process in a blood sample, calculating a T2 time curve for said serum-associated T2 signal; calculating the maximum value of the second derivative of the T2 time curve; and on the basis of the maximum value, calculating a value characteristic of clotting time.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein, following initiation of a clotting process in a blood sample, on the basis of said serum-associated T2 signal and said clot-associated T2 signal, determining whether said blood sample is hypercoagulable, hypocoagulable, or normal.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising calculating from said decay curve a T2 relaxation spectrum at a predetermined time point following initiation of said clotting or dissolution process.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising, following initiation of a clotting or dissolution process in a blood sample:

(f) making a plurality of relaxation rate measurements on said blood sample during said process to produce a plurality of decay curves, and

(g) calculating from said plurality of decay curves a plurality of T2 relaxation spectra.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein said algorithm is an inverse Laplace transform.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising assessing the hemostatic condition of a subject, wherein said first blood sample is produced by drawing blood from said subject to produce said first blood sample, said method comprising:

(v) on the basis of the results of step (iv), determining whether said subject is normal, has a hemorrhagic condition, or a has a prothrombotic condition.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising assessing platelet activity, wherein said first blood sample is a test sample formed by (a) providing isolated and washed platelets; and (b) combining said isolated and washed platelets with platelet poor plasma comprising a predetermined minimum level of fibrinogen to form said first blood sample, said method comprising:

(x) prior to step (i), initiating a clotting process by adding a clotting initiator to said first blood sample; and

(y) on the basis of the results of step (iv), assessing said platelet activity.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising assessing the platelet activity in a whole blood sample, wherein said first blood sample is a whole blood sample, the method comprising:

(x) providing a whole blood sample;

(y) prior to step (i), initiating a clotting process by adding a clotting initiator to said first blood sample;

(z) on the basis of the results of step (iv), assessing said platelet activity.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising assessing the strength of a blood clot comprising the steps of:

(x) making a T2 relaxation rate measurement of the water in the blood clot, wherein said measurement provides a decay curve;

(y) applying a mathematical transform to said decay curve to identify the signal intensity of a water population in said blood clot, said water population being in a serum water environment or a retracted blood clot water environment; and

(z) on the basis of said signal intensity, assessing the strength of said blood clot.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising assessing the platelet activity of a blood clot comprising the steps of:

(x) making a T2 relaxation rate measurement of the water in the blood clot, wherein said measurement provides a decay curve;

(y) applying a mathematical transform to said decay curve to identify the signal intensity of a water population in said blood clot, said water population being in a serum water environment or a retracted blood clot water environment; and

(z) on the basis of said signal intensity, assessing the platelet activity of said blood clot.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising assessing the hemostatic condition of a subject comprising the steps of:

(w) providing a blood sample from the subject;

(x) making a T2 relaxation rate measurement of the water in said sample, wherein said measurement provides a decay curve;

(y) applying a mathematical transform to said decay curve to identify a serum-associated T2 signal and a clot-associated T2 signal; and

(z) on the basis of the difference between said serum-associated T2 signal and said clot-associated T2 signal, assessing the hemostatic condition of the subject.

20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising assessing the hemostatic condition of a subject comprising the steps of:

(w) providing a blood sample from the subject;

(x) making a T2 relaxation rate measurement of the water in said sample, wherein said measurement provides a decay curve;

(y) applying a mathematical transform to said decay curve to identify a serum-associated T2 signal and a clot-associated T2 signal; and

(z) on the basis of the appearance of said clot-associated T2 signal, assessing the hemostatic condition of the subject.

21. The method of claim 1 , further comprising assessing the hemostatic condition of a subject comprising the steps of:

(w) providing a blood sample drawn from the subject;

(x) making a T2 relaxation rate measurement on said blood sample to produce a decay curve;

(y) calculating from said decay curve a T2 relaxation spectrum;

(z) on the basis of said T2 relaxation spectrum, assessing the hemostatic condition of the subject.

22. The method of any of claim 17 , wherein a paramagnetic agent is added to the sample or the water-containing material prior to the step of making a T2 relaxation rate measurement.

23. A method for reducing the risk of bleeding or clotting in a subject fitted with a heart assist device, said method comprising:

(a) evaluating the hemostatic condition of the subject using the method of claim 1 ; and

(b) on the basis of step (a), adjusting an operational parameter of the heart assist device to reduce the risk of bleeding or clotting in the subject.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the heart assist device is a ventricular assist device.

25. A method for reducing the risk of bleeding or clotting in a subject fitted with a heart assist device, said method comprising:

(a) evaluating the hemostatic condition of the subject using the method of claim 1 ; and

(b) on the basis of step (a), administering an anticoagulation therapy, antiplatelet therapy, and/or procoagulant therapy to the subject to reduce the risk of bleeding or clotting in the subject.

26. A method for identifying a subject resistant to anticoagulation therapy, said method comprising:

(i) administering the anticoagulation therapy to the subject;

(ii) evaluating the hemostatic condition of the subject using the method of claim 1 ; and

(iii) if the subject is found to be prothrombotic, identifying the subject as a non-responder to the anticoagulation therapy.

27. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the two or more water populations has a distinct relaxation rate at one or more time points during the said process.