title: Human lung air spaces: potential for MR imaging with hyperpolarized He-3.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: MacFall
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Charles
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Black
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Middleton
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Swartz
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saam
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Driehuys
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Happer
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Cates
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Ravin
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D007554:Isotopes; D006371:Helium