title: Decrease of pulmonary blood flow detected by phase contrast MRI is correlated with a decrease in lung volume and increase of lung fibrosis area determined by computed tomography in interstitial lung disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lung volume and pulmonary blood flow decrease in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD). The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between pulmonary blood flow and lung volume in ILD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This research was approved by the institutional review board. Twenty-seven patients (9 men, 18 women; mean age, 59 years; range, 24-79 years) with ILD were included. Blood flow was assessed in the pulmonary trunk and the left and right pulmonary arteries by phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Lung volume and the computed tomography (CT) visual score that indicates the severity of ILD were assessed on the left and right sides by thin-section CT scanning. Lung volume was automatically measured by lung analysis software (VINCENT Ver. 4). The CT visual score was measured by averaging the proportion of abnormal lung area at five anatomic levels. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between pulmonary blood flow and lung volume.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pulmonary blood flow showed a significant correlation with lung volume (both: r=0.52, p=0.006; left: r=0.61, p=0.001; right: r=0.54, p=0.004) and CT visual score (both: r=-0.39, p=0.04; left: r=-0.48, p=0.01; right: r=-0.38, p=0.04). Partial correlation analysis, controlled for age, height and weight, showed a significant correlation between pulmonary blood flow and lung volume (both: r=0.43, p=0.03; left: r=0.55, p=0.005; right: r=0.48, p=0.01) and CT visual score (both: r=-0.58, p=0.003; left: r=-0.51, p=0.01; right: r=-0.64, p=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In ILD, reduced pulmonary blood flow is associated with reduced lung volume and increased abnormal lung area.
authors: Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, University of the Ryukyus, 207 Uehara, Nishihara-Cho, Nakagami-Gun, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan. Electronic address: nanae7a50@hotmail.com.
authors: Nanae
authors: N
authors: Tsuchiya
authors: Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, University of the Ryukyus, 207 Uehara, Nishihara-Cho, Nakagami-Gun, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan. Electronic address: clatsune@yahoo.co.jp.
authors: Tsuneo
authors: T
authors: Yamashiro
authors: Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, University of the Ryukyus, 207 Uehara, Nishihara-Cho, Nakagami-Gun, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan. Electronic address: sadayuki@med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp.
authors: Sadayuki
authors: S
authors: Murayama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: Interstitial lung disease; Lung fibrosis; Lung volume; Phase contrast MRI; Pulmonary blood flow