Puttisarn Mongkolwisetwara1, Evguenia
Borissova Arguiri2, Kiarash Emami1, Yi Xin1,
Nicholas N. Kuzma1, Stephen J. Kadlecek1, Yinan Xu1,
Harilla Profka1, Melpo Christofidou-Solomidou2, Milton
D Rossman2, Masaru Ishii3, Rahim R. Rizi
1Radiology, University of
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States; 2Pulmonary
Division, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States; 3OtolaryngologyHead
& Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a relatively rare and most debilitating disease due to the fact that it is a progressive disorder whose pathogenesis is still unknown. Therefore, determining the causes of IPF and finding a probe to monitor potential treatments are essential goals of this study. The pulmonary function measurement by 3He MRI is a sensitive tool in assessing lung microstructure and function. Significant changes in all parameters of alveolar partial pressure, ADC, and fractional ventilation confirm that we can employ 3He MRI to gauge microstructure (ADC changes), lung function (Fractional Ventilation) and deficient in O2 uptake in alveolar walls (PaO2).