Work

Measurement of lung airways in three dimensions using hyperpolarized helium-3 MRI

Year: 2011

Type: article

Abstract: Large airway measurement is clinically important in cases of airway disease and trauma. The gold standard is computed tomography (CT), which allows for airway measurement. However, the ionizing radiation dose associated with CT is a major limitation in longitudinal studies and trauma. To avoid ionizing radiation from CT, we present a method for measuring the large airway diameter in humans using hyperpolarized helium-3 (HPHe) MRI in conjunction with a dynamic 3D radial acquisition. An algorithm is introduced which utilizes the significant airway contrast for semi-automated segmentation and skeletonization which is used to derive the airway lumen diameter. The HPHe MRI method was validated with quantitative CT in an excised and desiccated porcine lung (linear regression R(2) = 0.974 and slope = 0.966 over 32 airway segments). The airway lumen diameters were then compared in 24 human subjects (22 asthmatics and 2 normals; linear regression R(2) value of 0.799 and slope = 0.768 over 309 airway segments). The feasibility for airway path analysis to areas of ventilation defect is also demonstrated.

Source: Physics in Medicine and Biology

DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/56/10/014

Authors: Eric T Peterson, Jionghan Dai, James H Holmes, Sean B Fain

Institution: University of Wisconsin–Madison

Language: English

Topic: Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, Hartwell Foundation, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute