title: Quantitative evaluation of MR perfusion imaging using blood pool contrast agent in subjects without pulmonary diseases and in patients with pulmonary embolism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the feasibility of time-resolved parallel three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for quantitative analysis of pulmonary perfusion using a blood pool contrast agent.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative perfusion analysis was performed using novel software to assess pulmonary blood flow (PBF), pulmonary blood volume (PBV) and mean transit time (MTT) in a quantitative manner.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The evaluation of lung perfusion in the normal subjects showed an increase of PBF, PBV ventrally to dorsally (gravitational direction), and the highest values at the upper lobe, with a decrease to the middle and lower lobe (isogravitational direction). MTT showed no relevant changes in either the gravitational or isogravitational directions. In comparison with normally perfused lung areas (in diseased patients), the pulmonary embolism (PE) regions showed a significantly lower mean PBF (20 ± 0.6 ml/100 ml/min, normal region 94 ± 1 ml/100 ml/min; P < 0.001), mean PBV (2 ± 0.1 ml/100 ml, normal region 9.8 ± 0.1 ml/100 ml; P < 0.001) and mean MTT (3.8 ± 0.1 s; normal region 6.3 ± 0.1; P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using time-resolved dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI to determine normal range and regional variation of pulmonary perfusion and perfusion deficits in patients with PE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Recently introduced blood pool contrast agents improve MR evaluation of lung perfusion • Regional differences in lung perfusion indicating a gravitational and isogravitational dependency. • Focal areas of significantly decreased perfusion are detectable in pulmonary embolism.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology II, University Hospital Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany. andreas.hansch@med.uni-jena.de
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hansch
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kohlmann
authors.forename: Uta
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hinneburg
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boettcher
authors.forename: Ansgar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malich
authors.forename: Gunter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Hendrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Laue
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pfeil
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010477:Perfusion; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D012984:Software; D013997:Time Factors; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media