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Quantitative Mapping of Specific Ventilation in the Human Lung using Proton Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Oxygen as a Contrast Agent
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Regional ventilation distribution in the first 6 months of life

T M T Pham1, M Yuill, C Dakin

  • 1Paediatric Critical Care Research Group, Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Mater Children's Hospital, South Brisbane 4101, QLD, Australia. andreas.schibler@mater.org.au

The European Respiratory Journal
|July 24, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) reveals consistent regional lung ventilation in infants. Ventilation distribution and filling characteristics remain stable from birth to six months, similar to adults.

Area of Science:

  • Physiology
  • Medical Imaging
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is utilized for assessing regional ventilation in pediatric lung diseases.
  • Limited EIT data exists for healthy newborns and infants, particularly regarding ventilation distribution and filling characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate regional ventilation distribution and filling characteristics in healthy infants using EIT.
  • To track changes in these parameters from the neonatal period up to six months of age.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized EIT to measure regional ventilation distribution and filling characteristics in 32 spontaneously breathing infants during non-rapid eye movement sleep.
  • Assessed parameters including end-expiratory and end-inspiratory impedance amplitudes, geometric center of ventilation, and phase lag/lead of regional impedance changes.

Main Results:

  • Regional impedance amplitudes increased with infant age.
  • Regional ventilation distribution remained consistent across all ages, with the dependent lung consistently better ventilated.
  • Dependent lung filling preceded nondependent lung filling during inspiration throughout the study period.

Conclusions:

  • Infant lung ventilation distribution and filling characteristics are established early and remain stable through the first six months of life.
  • These findings in infants closely resemble those observed in adult subjects, suggesting early developmental maturation of ventilation patterns.

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