James H. Holmes1, Rafael L. O'Halloran1, Ethan K. Brodsky1,2, Thorsten A. Bley2, Christopher J. Francois2, Julia V. Velikina1, Ronald L. Sorkness3, William W. Busse3, Sean B. Fain1,2
1Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; 2Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; 3Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
Whole-lung 3D imaging of respiration dynamics and gas trapping in asthma is demonstrated using hyperpolarized He-3 gas in combination with an accelerated data acquisition and constrained reconstruction. This technique enables the acquisition of a wealth of information on inflow and exhalation kinetics as well as breathhold ventilation defects, while readily accommodating individual patients breathhold capabilities, all within a single comprehensive maneuver. Volunteer studies show agreement with plethysmography and MDCT. However, an advantage of this technique is that it enables regional depiction of dynamic gas trapping in a setting more comparable to a spirometry maneuver, unlike MDCT.
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