Dynamic (19)F-MRI of pulmonary ventilation using sulfur hexafluoride (SF(6)) gas.
A new method for dynamic imaging of pulmonary wash-in and wash-out kinetics of inhaled sulfur hexafluoride (SF(6)) gas was developed. Measurements at the fluorine-19 Larmor frequency were performed in pigs using a gradient echo pulse sequence with 0.5 ms echo time and a measurement time of 9.1 s per image. Dynamic MRI was performed during wash-in and wash-out of SF(6) gas in mechanically ventilated porcine lungs. A postprocessing strategy was developed for quantitative determination of wash-out time constants in the presence of noise. Mean wash-out constants were 4.78 +/- 0.48 breaths vs. 4.33 +/- 0.76 breaths for left and right lung when ventilation was performed with low tidal volume, and 1.73 +/- 0.16 breaths vs. 1.85 +/- 0.11 breaths with high tidal volume ventilation. In conclusion, breath-hold MRI of SF(6) gas is feasible in large animals. Moreover, regional wash-in and wash-out kinetics of SF(6) can be determined noninvasively with this new method. Potential human applications are discussed. Magn Reson Med 45:605-613, 2001.
Department of Radiology, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany. wolfgang.schreiber@radiologie.klinik.uni-mainz.de
W G
WG
Schreiber
B
B
Eberle
S
S
Laukemper-Ostendorf
K
K
Markstaller
N
N
Weiler
A
A
Scholz
K
K
Bürger
C P
CP
Heussel
M
M
Thelen
H U
HU
Kauczor
D000818:Animals; D005461:Fluorine; D007554:Isotopes; D008168:Lung / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D012143:Respiratory Physiological Phenomena; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride; D013552:Swine
D007554:Isotopes; D005461:Fluorine; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride