Probing Lung Microstructure with Gradient Echo Plural Contrast Imaging

A new approach Gradient Echo Plural Contrast Imaging (GEPCI) of lungs is proposed for simultaneously extracting information about lung ventilation, alveolar parameters and blood vessel network structure from a single multi-gradient-echo experiment. Based on computer simulations of 3He atoms diffusion in the acinar airway tree in the presence of inhomogeneous magnetic field induced by the susceptibility differences between lung tissue (alveolar septa, blood vessels) and lung airspaces, we derive analytical expressions relating the time-dependent MR signal to the geometrical parameters of acinar airways and blood vessel network. Data obtained on 8 healthy volunteers are in good agreement with literature values.

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