(3)He-MRI in follow-up of lung transplant recipients.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible contribution of (3)He-MRI to detect obliterative bronchiolitis (OB) in the follow-up of lung transplant recipients. Nine single- and double-lung transplanted patients were studied by an initial and a follow-up (3)He-MRI study. Images were evaluated subjectively by estimation of ventilation defect area and quantitatively by individually adapted threshold segmentation and subsequent calculation of ventilated lung volume. Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) was diagnosed using pulmonary function tests. At (3)He-MRI, OB was suspected if ventilated lung volume had decreased by 10% or more at the follow-up MRI study compared with the initial study. General accordance between pulmonary function testing and (3)He-MRI was good, although subjective evaluation of (3)He-MRI underestimated improvement in ventilation as obtained by pulmonary function tests. The (3)He-MRI indicated OB in 6 cases. According to pulmonary function tests, BOS was diagnosed in 5 cases. All diagnoses of BOS were also detected by (3)He-MRI. In 2 of these 5 cases, (3)He-MRI indicated OB earlier than pulmonary function tests. The results support the hypothesis that (3)He-MRI may be sensitive for early detection of OB and emphasize the need for larger prospective follow-up studies.
Gast
Klaus Kurt
KK
Department of Radiology, Johannes Gutenberg University Hospital, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany. kgast@radiologie.klinik.uni-mainz.de
Zaporozhan
Julia
J
Ley
Sebastian
S
Biedermann
Alexander
A
Knitz
Frank
F
Eberle
Balthasar
B
Schmiedeskamp
Joerg
J
Heussel
Claus-Peter
CP
Mayer
Eckhard
E
Schreiber
Wolfgang Günter
WG
Thelen
Manfred
M
Kauczor
Hans-Ulrich
HU
D000328:Adult; D001989:Bronchiolitis Obliterans / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D006371:Helium; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D006371:Helium