title: Demonstration of gravity-dependent lung perfusion with contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: Imaging of lung perfusion using contrast-enhanced dynamic magnetic resonance (MR) was performed in both the supine and prone positions in six volunteers. Regions of interest (ROIs) were chosen in the dependent and non-dependent portions of the right lung. The percentage increase in signal intensity (SI) and the mean slope were calculated. In the supine position, the dorsal ROI had a greater increase in SI (236.0% vs. 156.9%, P < 0.05) and a faster rise in the slope of enhancement (55.1%/sec vs. 30.1%/sec, P < 0.05) than the ventral ROI. After changing to the prone position, higher peak enhancement (234.3% vs. 177.4%, P < 0.05) and faster slopes (59.6%/sec vs. 35.3%/sec, P < 0.05) shifted to the anterior ROI. We conclude that dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging is sensitive to demonstrate gravitationally dependent differences in lung perfusion.
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Stock
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hatabu
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Edelman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006112:Gravitation; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008168:Lung / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA