Work

The evolving science of ventilation heterogeneity: From pathophysiology to personalized therapeutic approaches

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Although inherent to normal lung physiology, ventilation heterogeneity (VH) often becomes an underrecognized clinical problem in a variety of respiratory conditions characterized by an asymmetric distribution of pathologic processes and the presence of regional mismatching between ventilation and perfusion. Traditional functional diagnostic approaches have been mostly focused on the role of VH in airway diseases, but with the development of novel diagnostic approaches capable of diagnosing both temporal and spatial VH in lung disease, we have the opportunity to better understand the clinical significance of VH in all lung disease. In this concise review, we aim to discuss the physiologic, radiologic, and clinical impacts of VH on pulmonary disease, highlighting the developing technologies to detect and treat it.

Source: Respiratory Medicine

DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2026.108811

Authors: Igor Barjaktarevic, Brooks Kuhn, Christopher B. Cooper

Institutions: University of California, Los Angeles, University of California, Davis

Language: English

Topic: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Research

Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,630