Detectability of regional lung ventilation with flat-panel detector-based dynamic radiography

This study was performed to investigate the ability of breathing chest radiography using flat-panel detector (FPD) to quantify relative local ventilation. Dynamic chest radiographs during respiration were obtained using a modified FPD system. Imaging was performed in three different positions, ie, standing and right and left decubitus positions, to change the distribution of local ventilation. We measured the average pixel value in the local lung area. Subsequently, the interframe differences, as well as difference values between maximum inspiratory and expiratory phases, were calculated. The results were visualized as images in the form of a color display to show more or less x-ray translucency. Temporal changes and spatial distribution of the results were then compared to lung physiology. In the results, the average pixel value in each lung was associated with respiratory phase. In all positions, respiratory changes of pixel value in the lower area were greater than those in the upper area (P < 0.01), which was the same tendency as the regional differences in ventilation determined by respiratory physiology. In addition, in the decubitus position, it was observed that areas with large respiratory changes in pixel value moved up in the vertical direction during expiration, which was considered to be airway closure. In conclusion, breathing chest radiography using FPD was shown to be capable of quantifying relative ventilation in local lung area and detecting regional differences in ventilation and timing of airway closure. This method is expected to be useful as a new diagnostic imaging modality for evaluating relative local ventilation.