Lung Imaging in Humans at 3T Using Perfluorinated Gases as MR Contrast Agents

Brian J. Soher¹, Maureen Ainslie, James MacFall, Ralph Hashoian², H. Cecil Charles¹

We demonstrate the first images showing human lung ventilation using conventional thermally polarized perfluorinated gases (PFx) mixed with oxygen as an inhaled inert MRI contrast agents. Lung airway disease clinical trials often require large numbers of subjects due to the limitations of global assessments or the presence of ionizing radiation in clinical imaging methodologies. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using PFx to image regional ventilation characteristics throughout the lungs at a resolution and SNR (0.78 cm3 and 15:1 non-optimized) comparable to other imaging methodologies at less cost and with a straightforward path for repeat and cine-style dynamic data acquisitions.