Imaging lung function using rapid dynamic acquisition of T1-maps during oxygen enhancement

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Pulmonary Medicine
• Biophysics

Background:

• Accurate assessment of lung function is crucial for diagnosing and managing respiratory diseases.
• Current pulmonary function tests (PFTs) provide global measurements and lack regional specificity.
• Oxygen-enhanced MRI offers a novel approach for dynamic, quantitative lung imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of oxygen-enhanced MRI for quantitative lung function assessment.
• To introduce and validate new imaging parameters derived from T1-enhancement time constants.
• To explore the potential of this technique for regional pulmonary function analysis.

Main Methods:

• Dynamic T1-parameter maps were acquired using an IR Snapshot FLASH sequence on a 1.5-T MRI scanner.
• Oxygen wash-in and wash-out curves were generated, and time constants (w(in), w(out)) were calculated.
• Standard pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were performed for comparative analysis.

Main Results:

• Oxygen-enhanced MRI successfully generated dynamic T1-maps and calculated wash-in/wash-out time constants.
• Mean wash-out time constant (w(out)) was 43.90 ± 10.47 s, and mean wash-in time constant (w(in)) was 51.20 ± 15.53 s.
• Wash-in time constants showed strong correlations with FEV1 % VC and MEF25, indicating functional relevance.

Conclusions:

• Oxygen-enhanced MRI with dynamic T1-mapping provides quantitative parameters (w(in), w(out)) for lung function assessment.
• The technique demonstrates potential for providing regional pulmonary function information.
• This method may aid in the evaluation of various lung diseases.