Frank G. Zoellner1, Katrin Zahn2,
Thomas Schaible3, Stefan O. Schoenberg4, Lothar R.
Schad1, K. W. Neff4
1Computer Assisted Clinical
Medicine, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; 2Dept. of
Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University,
Mannheim; 3Dept. of Pediatrics, University Medical Center
Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim; 4Institute of Clinical
Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mannheim,
Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
In congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), lung hypoplasia and secondary pulmonary hypertension are the major causes of death. To the best of our knowledge, quantitative perfusion imaging of the lung in CDH has not been utilized so far. Here, we investigated whether DCE-MRI of the lung in survivors after CDH-repair at 3.0T is feasible. Ipsilateral lung hypoplasia with reduced perfusion is reflected by significant lower rPBF values (34.318 ml/100ml/min) compared to the contralateral lung (89.727 ml/100ml/min). In conclusion, DCE-MRI of the lung in CDH can help characterizing lung hypoplasia initially and in long-term follow-up of children after CDH-repair.