The Effect of Lung Inflation on the T2* of 129Xe in the Human Lungs at 1.5 T and 3 T

Xiaojun Xu¹, Graham Norquay¹, Helen Marshall¹, Juan Parra-Robles¹, Jim M. Wild¹

T₂^* of hyperpolarised ¹²⁹Xe is largely affected by the magnetic susceptibility at the tissue/air interfaces within the lungs. Initial results at forced residual volume (FRV) + 1 l are reproducible, yet shorter than the only other previously reported values in the conference literature. Repeated measurements with the lungs filled up with room air to total lung capacity (TLC) instead of FRV + 1 l coincide with previous results of T₂^* values, indicating a significant dependence of the transverse relaxation constant T₂^* on lung inflation volume.