Yanping Sun1, Linxi Shi1,2, Guoen
Jin1, Sanaz Zhalehdoust Sani3, Justin L. Lui3,
Stephen J. Krinzman4, John Mark Madison4, Kenneth R.
Lutchen3, Mitchell S. Albert1
1Radiology, University of
Massachusetts, Worcester, MA, United States; 2Biomedical
Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, United States; 3Biomedical
Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States; 4Pulmonary,
University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA, United States
We
used hyperpolarized 3He MR to image subjects with asthma at two scanning
sessions 45 days apart; during each session, baseline and post-methacholine
scans were collected. We found that post-methacholine, defect number
increased by an average of 172%. The percentage of defects that remained in
the same location between imaging sessions was 75% 40 between baseline
scans, but 96% 4 between post-methacholine scans. Thus, methacholine
provocations in asthmatics increased defect number, but defects tended to
remain in the same location from one provocation to another. Our results
suggest that asthma dysfunction has an important localized component.
Keywords