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Updated: Jul 5, 2026
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Multi-modal Pulmonary Imaging: Using Complementary Information from CT and Hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI to Evaluate Lung Structure-Function
Published on: April 12, 2024
New 133Xe gas trapping index for quantifying severe emphysema before partial lung volume reduction
Jeffrey J Mathews1, Alan H Maurer, Robert M Steiner
1Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Temple University School of Medicine and Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, USA.
Summary
A new gas trapping index (GTI) from (133)Xe ventilation scans shows promise for assessing emphysema severity. This functional measure correlates well with anatomical imaging, suggesting its utility before and after lung volume reduction therapy.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Lung volume reduction (LVR) is a key therapy for end-stage emphysema.
- Current imaging for LVR primarily uses CT for anatomical assessment.
- A need exists for functional imaging to complement anatomical data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a novel quantitative gas trapping index (GTI) derived from (133)Xe ventilation scans.
- To assess the GTI's potential for measuring emphysema severity.
- To compare GTI with established CT and scintigraphy measures.
Main Methods:
- A (133)Xe ventilation study was used to calculate GTI in 28 patients.
- GTI was derived from gas retention during washout phases.
- GTI was compared against CT densitometry, perfusion scintigraphy, and visual CT scoring.
Main Results:
- GTI showed the strongest correlation with perfusion percentage (-0.39).
- CT density scoring correlated with severe emphysema (0.36).
- Correlation with visual CT scores was less significant (0.25).
Conclusions:
- The (133)Xe-based GTI correlates well with quantitative, anatomy-based emphysema measures.
- GTI offers a functional assessment of gas trapping and airway disease.
- Further research is warranted to explore GTI's role in LVR assessment.
