Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 1, 2026
Combining Volumetric Capnography And Barometric Plethysmography To Measure The Lung Structure-function Relationship
Published on: January 8, 2019
Quantitative assessment of regional alveolar ventilation and gas volume using 13N-N2 washout and PET
Jean-Christophe Richard1, Marc Janier, Franck Lavenne
1Service de Réanimation Médicale et d'Assistance Respiratoire, Lyon, France.
Unlabelled:
Measurement of alveolar volume (Va) and regional ventilation (a) is crucial to understanding the pathophysiology of acute lung injury and ventilator-induced lung injury. PET has previously been used as a noninvasive, quantitative method to assess a, but formal validation of this technique in experimental lung injury is lacking. This study aims to validate Va and a regional assessment with PET, using inhaled (13)N-N(2) in pigs.
Methods:
Two normal and 2 oleic acid-injured pigs were tracheotomized, mechanically ventilated, and studied in 5 different levels of ventilation by changing respiratory rate. In each experimental condition, lungs were washed-in and then washed-out with (13)N-N(2) through an open circuit in the ventilator. Using this method, multiframe images were acquired with a dedicated PET camera. Regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn on each lung. Regional time-activity curves during washout were generated for each ROI and fitted to a mono- and a bicompartmental model. Validation of this method was performed in 2 ways. First, regional values of predicted Va (Va(emission)) were compared with regional volume obtained independently from density analysis on a transmission scan (Va(trans)). Second, regional values of predicted a were summed in each animal during each experimental condition and compared with minute-ventilation values set on the ventilator.
Results:
The bicompartmental model best fitted the experimental values in normal (94.7% [62.2%-100.0%] (median [interquartile range]) of the ROIs) as well as in injured animals (90.7% [81.6%-97.4%] of the ROIs) (P = 0.49). Va(emission) significantly correlated with Va(trans) (R(2) = 0.89, P < 0.001) but exceeded Va(trans) by 10%. Finally, a strongly and positively correlated with minute-ventilation in both normal (R(2) = 0.96, P < 0.001) and injured (R(2) = 0.96, P < 0.001) animals.
Conclusion:
Measurement of (13)N-N(2) washout using PET is accurate to assess regional alveolar volume and ventilation during experimental acute lung injury.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Assessment of Ventilation I: Respiratory Rate
A Ventilation assessment is critical for monitoring a patient's health status. Respiration, one of the most accessible vital signs, provides insights into the function of numerous body systems and can indicate serious health issues, such as brainstem injuries from head trauma.
Critical Guidelines for Assessing Ventilation:
01:17Assessment of Diffusion and Perfusion
The Role of Diffusion in Respiration
Diffusion is the process by which molecules move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. In the respiratory system, this principle...
01:15Respiratory Volumes
Tidal Volume (TV) Tidal volume (TV) is the air inhaled or exhaled in a...
01:22Respiratory Volumes and Capacities
01:30Radiological Investigation II: MRI and Ventilation Perfusion Scan
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Ventilation Perfusion Scans are two radiological investigations that offer detailed diagnostic images of the body, particularly lung structures.
MRI
MRI uses magnetic fields and radiofrequency signals to distinguish between normal and abnormal tissues. This technology provides a more detailed diagnostic image than CT scans, enabling it to characterize pulmonary nodules, stage bronchogenic carcinoma, and evaluate inflammatory activity in...
01:13Radiological Investigation III: Pulmonary Angiogram and PET Scan
Pulmonary Angiogram
A Pulmonary Angiogram is an invasive procedure involving injecting a contrast medium through a catheter threaded into the pulmonary artery or the right side of the heart to visualize the pulmonary vasculature. Computed Tomography (CT) scans have mainly replaced this...