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Emphysema quantified: mapping regional airway dimensions using 2D phase contrast X-ray imaging
Marcus J Kitchen1, Genevieve A Buckley1, Lauren T Kerr2
1School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia.
Biomedical Optics Express
|September 14, 2020
Summary
This study introduces a novel X-ray imaging technique to measure lung airway dimensions, effectively distinguishing between healthy and emphysematous lungs in mice. The method shows high accuracy and sensitivity, even with fewer images.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Materials Science
Background:
- Emphysema causes significant changes in lung airway dimensions.
- Directly resolving small airways and lung structures is challenging with conventional imaging.
- Accurate measurement of airway dimensions is crucial for understanding emphysema progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate an analyser-based phase contrast X-ray imaging technique.
- To measure the mean length scale of unresolved pores or particles.
- To differentiate airway dimensions in healthy versus emphysematous mouse lungs.
Main Methods:
- Utilized analyser-based phase contrast X-ray imaging.
- Combined attenuation, phase, and ultra-small angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) data.
- Correlated 2D image measurements with micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) data.
Main Results:
- The technique accurately measured airway dimensions, showing a 1:1 correlation with micro-CT.
- Distinguished between healthy and emphysematous mouse lungs.
- Achieved high sensitivity (0.80) and specificity (0.89) with 80 images (ROC AUC 0.96).
- Maintained high specificity (0.89) and good sensitivity (0.75) with only 11 images.
Conclusions:
- The developed X-ray imaging technique is effective for measuring lung airway dimensions.
- The technique shows promise for diagnosing and monitoring emphysema.
- The method demonstrates robustness, maintaining diagnostic accuracy with reduced image acquisition.
