Human lung air spaces: potential for MR imaging with hyperpolarized He-3.
Two healthy volunteers who had inhaled approximately 0.75 L of laser-polarized helium-3 gas underwent magnetic resonance imaging at 1.5 T with fast gradient-echo pulse sequences and small flip angles ( < 10 degrees). Thick-section (20 mm) coronal images, time-course data (30 images collected every 1.8 seconds), and thin-section (6 mm) images were acquired. Subjects were able to breathe the gas (12% polarization) without difficulty. Thick-section images were of good quality and had a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 32:1 near the surface coil and 16:1 farther away. The time images showed regional differences, which indicated potential value for quantitation. High-resolution images showed greater detail and a S/N of approximately 6:1.
MacFall
J R
JR
Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Charles
H C
HC
Black
R D
RD
Middleton
H
H
Swartz
J C
JC
Saam
B
B
Driehuys
B
B
Erickson
C
C
Happer
W
W
Cates
G D
GD
Johnson
G A
GA
Ravin
C E
CE
D000328:Adult; D006371:Helium; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007554:Isotopes; D008168:Lung / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D007554:Isotopes; D006371:Helium