Hyperpolarized 13C MRI of the pulmonary vasculature and parenchyma.
The study of lung perfusion in normal and diseased subjects is of great interest to physiologists and physicians. In this work we demonstrate the application of a liquid-phase hyperpolarized (HP) carbon-13 ((13)C) tracer to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pulmonary vasculature and pulmonary perfusion in a porcine model. Our results show that high spatial and temporal resolution images of pulmonary perfusion can be obtained with this contrast technique. Traditionally, pulmonary perfusion measurement techniques have been challenging because of insufficient signal for quantitative functional assessments. The use of polarized (13)C in MRI overcomes this limitation and may lead to a viable clinical method for studying the pulmonary vasculature and perfusion.
Ishii
Masaru
M
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, USA. mishii3@jhmi.edu
Emami
Kiarash
K
Kadlecek
Stephen
S
Petersson
J Stefan
JS
Golman
Klaes
K
Vahdat
Vahid
V
Yu
Jiangsheng
J
Cadman
Robert V
RV
MacDuffie-Woodburn
John
J
Stephen
Michael
M
Lipson
David A
DA
Rizi
Rahim R
RR
D000818:Animals; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D003287:Contrast Media; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D023421:Models, Animal; D013552:Swine
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D003287:Contrast Media