Quantitative differential pulmonary perfusion: MR imaging versus radionuclide lung scanning.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the results of quantitative analysis of differential pulmonary artery blood flow performed with phase-contrast cine magnetic resonance (MR) images with those of differential radionuclide pulmonary perfusion scanning in preoperative lung transplantation patients.


METHODS
Forty preoperative lung transplantation patients underwent prospective, quantitative analysis of differential pulmonary artery blood flow performed with MR imaging and radionuclide pulmonary perfusion scanning. MR imaging analysis was performed at 1.5 T with a phase-contrast cine pulse sequence to acquire data perpendicular to each central pulmonary artery.


RESULTS
Comparative analysis of differential pulmonary perfusion showed excellent correlation between the two modalities in all patients (P = .0001). MR imaging enabled calculation of the pulmonary artery blood flow to each lung; radionuclide lung scanning enabled only calculation of relative perfusion to each lung.


CONCLUSIONS
MR imaging is as effective as radionuclide lung scanning in assessment of relative, and superior for determination of absolute differential, pulmonary perfusion.
Silverman
J M
JM
Department of Radiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048.
Julien
P J
PJ
Herfkens
R J
RJ
Pelc
N J
NJ
D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000601:surgery; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D016040:Lung Transplantation; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000601:surgery; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000601:surgery; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging