MRI in lung transplant recipients using hyperpolarized 3He: comparison with CT.
OBJECTIVE
To elucidate the ability of 3He-MRI to detect ventilation defects in lung transplant recipients, 3He-MRI was compared to CT for concordance.


METHODS
We examined 14 lung recipients using 3He-MRI on a 1.5 T MR scanner. CT served as a reference method. Up to four representative ventilation defects were defined for each lung on 3He-MRI and compared to corresponding areas on CT.


RESULTS
Altogether, 59 representative ventilation defects were defined on 3He-MRI. Plausible CT correlates were found for 29 ventilation defects; less plausible CT correlates were found for eight defects. In 22 defects (37%) no corresponding CT changes were detected. CT demonstrated correlates for ventilation defects seen on 3He-MRI in only 63% of the cases.


CONCLUSIONS
3He-MRI yields a clear increase in the number of detected ventilation defects compared to CT. This may have an important impact on the early detection of bronchiolitis obliterans in lung transplant recipients.
Gast
Klaus K
KK
Department of Radiology, University of Mainz Hospital, Mainz, Germany. kgast@radiologie.klinik.uni-mainz.de
Viallon
Magali
M
Eberle
Balthasar
B
Lill
Jana
J
Puderbach
Michael U
MU
Hanke
Alexander T
AT
Schmiedeskamp
Joerg
J
Kauczor
Hans-Ulrich
HU
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006371:Helium; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D006371:Helium