Abstract #1297

Patz S, Muradian I, Topulos G, Butler J, Ketel S, Russet I, Hersman F, Covrig S, Hrovat M

Magnetic Resonance images of human pulmonary gas exchange, i.e. diffusion of gaseous hyperpolarized 129Xe from the alveolar gas space into the parenchymal tissue, were obtained. Here we report a direct measurement of both the gas and tissue signals and their ratio, which gives the fraction of gas exchanged into tissue during a specified exchange time. This ratio is also proportional to a functional parameter of the lung, local surface area per unit volume S/V.