Ventilation imaging of the lung: comparison of hyperpolarized helium-3 MR imaging with Xe-133 scintigraphy.
OBJECTIVE
To compare hyperpolarized helium-3 (HHe) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lung with standard Xe-133 lung ventilation scintigraphy.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective review of 15 subjects who underwent HHe MRI and Xe-133 lung ventilation imaging. Coronal MRI sections were acquired after a single inhalation of HHe gas, and standard posterior planar lung ventilation scintigraphy was performed during continuous breathing of Xe-133 gas. The first breath scintigram of each patient was compared with a composite MR image composed of the sum of the individual MR images and with the individual helium-3 MR images. Ventilation defects on the two imaging modalities were compared for size, conspicuity, and concordance in presence and location. Assessment was done separately for each of four lung quadrants.


RESULTS
Comparing the composite HHe MR images with Xe-133 scintigraphy, ventilation defect size, conspicuity and concordance were the same in 67% (40/60), 63% (38/60), and 62% (37/60) quadrants, respectively. Comparing the individual HHe MR image sections with the Xe-133 ventilation scan, there was concordance between the ventilation defects in 27% (16/60) of quadrants. More defects were identified on the individual HHe MR images in 62% (37/60) of quadrants.


CONCLUSIONS
There was good agreement between composite HHe MR image and first breath Xe-133 scintigraphic images, supporting the widely held assumption that HHe MRI likely depicts first breath lung ventilation.
Altes
Talissa A
TA
Department of Radiology, Radiology Research, University of Virginia, Box 801339, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. TAA2C@virginia.edu
Rehm
Patrice K
PK
Harrell
Frank
F
Salerno
Michael
M
Daniel
Thomas M
TM
De Lange
Eduard E
EE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003287:Contrast Media; D006371:Helium; D006801:Humans; D007554:Isotopes; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014692:Ventilation-Perfusion Ratio; D014980:Xenon Radioisotopes
D003287:Contrast Media; D007554:Isotopes; D014980:Xenon Radioisotopes; D006371:Helium