Martin Heiner Deppe1, Juan Parra-Robles1, Salma Ajraoui1, Sean B. Fain2,3, Christopher J. Taylor4, Kenny A. Macleod5, Alexander R. Horsley5, Jim M. Wild1
1Academic Unit of Radiology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, Yorkshire, UK; 2Department of Radiology, UW Hospital, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; 3Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; 4Academic Unit of Child Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, Yorkshire, UK; 5Molecular Medicine Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
Inert gas washout is a well-known method for assessment of lung function, and has been demonstrated to be sensitive to obstructive airways disease. This work demonstrates inert gas washout monitored via the 3He NMR signal. It is shown that this method can be integrated with 3He MRI into a single exam using the same bolus of hyperpolarized gas. Initial results from healthy volunteers and a cystic fibrosis patient are presented. Comparisons with conventional inert gas washout measurements using SF6 are drawn. Monitoring the washout of 3He after MRI yields additional physiological information at no extra cost.