COPD Patients Have Short Lung Magnetic Resonance T1 Relaxation Time.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may provide attractive biomarkers for assessment of pulmonary disease in clinical trials as it is free from ionizing radiation, minimally invasive and allows regional information. The aim of this study was to characterize lung MRI T1 relaxation time as a biomarker of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); and specifically its relationship to smoking history, computed tomography (CT), and pulmonary function test (PFT) measurements in comparison to healthy age-matched controls. Lung T1 and inter-quartile range (IQR) of T1 maps from 24 COPD subjects and 12 healthy age-matched non-smokers were retrospectively analyzed from an institutional review board approved study. The subjects underwent PFTs and two separate MR imaging sessions at 1.5 tesla to test T1 repeatability. CT scans were performed on the COPD subjects. T1 repeatability (intraclass correlation coefficient) was 0.72 for repeated scans acquired on two visits. The lung T1 was significantly shorter (p < 0.0001) and T1 IQR was significantly larger (p = 0.0002) for the COPD subjects compared to healthy controls. Lung T1 significantly (p = 0.001) correlated with lung density assessed with CT. Strong significant correlations (p < 0.0001) between lung T1 and all PFT measurements were observed. Cigarette exposure did not correlate with lung T1 in COPD subjects. In conclusion, lung MRI T1 mapping shows potential as a repeatable, radiation free, non-invasive imaging technique in the evaluation of COPD.
a 1 Department of Radiation Physics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden.
Daniel F
DF
Alamidi
b 2 Bioxydyn Ltd , Manchester , United Kingdom.|c 3 Centre for Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Imaging Institute, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester , Manchester , United Kingdom.
Alexandra R
AR
Morgan
c 3 Centre for Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Imaging Institute, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester , Manchester , United Kingdom.
Penny L
PL
Hubbard Cristinacce
d 4 AstraZeneca R&D , Mölndal , Sweden.
Lars H
LH
Nordenmark
e 5 Antaros Medical, BioVenture Hub , Mölndal , Sweden.|f 6 Medtech West, Chalmers University of Technology , Gothenburg , Sweden.
Paul D
PD
Hockings
a 1 Department of Radiation Physics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden.
Kerstin M
KM
Lagerstrand
g 7 AstraZeneca R&D , Alderley Park, United Kingdom.
Simon S
SS
Young
c 3 Centre for Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Imaging Institute, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester , Manchester , United Kingdom.
Josephine H
JH
Naish
c 3 Centre for Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Imaging Institute, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester , Manchester , United Kingdom.
John C
JC
Waterton
b 2 Bioxydyn Ltd , Manchester , United Kingdom.
Niall C
NC
Maguire
h 8 Department of Medical Radiation Physics, Translational Medicine, Lund University , Malmö , Sweden.
Lars E
LE
Olsson
b 2 Bioxydyn Ltd , Manchester , United Kingdom.|c 3 Centre for Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Imaging Institute, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester , Manchester , United Kingdom.
Geoffrey J M
GJ
Parker
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
biomarker; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); longitudinal relaxation time; lung imaging; magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); smoking