The American Lung Association estimates that 32 million Americans are affected by lung diseases, many of which are still not fully understood. Hyperpolarized xenon (HP Xe) MRI lung imaging is emerging as an important tool to better understand lung disease and develop treatments. However, the potency of HP Xe is up to three times less than its theoretical potential, which has hampered economical application. We’ve developed a computational model to identify inefficiencies in the process.