[Quantification of Ventilation, Inflammation, Perfusion and Structure (VIPS)]

Technical innovation in pulmonary imaging during the recent years has led to a shift from morphological description of pulmonary pathologies to regional quantification of pulmonary function. This article summarizes current clinical standards in pulmonary imaging and introduces the reader to new innovative techniques of functional lung imaging. In the context of actual clinical studies for COPD, asthma, pulmonary hypertension and cystic fibrosis the application of quantitative imaging methods using computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging is demonstrated and possible future applications are discussed.