A GROUNDBREAKING MRI lung scanning method developed by UK-based researchers is showing promise in evaluating and improving treatment for compromised lung function in transplant patients. The innovative technique, which uses the inhalation of a special gas, could revolutionise how lung diseases are monitored and managed.
The method involved perfluoropropane, a gas visible on MRI scanners, according to one of two research papers on the topic. The gas, which patients can safely inhale and exhale, enables detailed imaging of lung ventilation.
“Our scans show where there is patchy ventilation in patients with lung disease and reveal which parts of the lung improve with treatment,” the research team said in a university statement. He highlighted the technique’s potential, such as observing the effects of asthma medication in real-time.
By quantifying the improvement in ventilation during inhaler treatments, the method could prove invaluable in clinical trials for new lung disease therapies, the researchers noted.
The team conducted MRI studies on lung transplant recipients, imaging their lungs during multiple breaths to track the gas’s movement. In patients suffering from chronic rejection, scans showed limited air movement to the lung edges, likely due to airway damage in small breathing tubes.
The study authors emphasised the technique’s potential to enhance patient care: “We hope this new type of scan might allow us to detect changes in transplant lungs earlier, before damage is visible through conventional tests. This could enable earlier intervention to protect the lungs from further harm.”
The researchers believe the method could be transformative for managing lung transplant patients, offering a sensitive tool to identify early lung function changes. With this capability, clinicians may better prevent complications and improve long-term outcomes.
The pioneering study emphasised the role of advanced imaging in the ongoing effort to enhance treatment for those with compromised lung function.
Victoria Antoniou, EMJ
References
Pippard BJ et al. Assessing lung ventilation and bronchodilator response in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with 19F MRI. Radiology. 2024;313(3):e240949.
Neal MA et al. Dynamic 19F-MRI of pulmonary ventilation in lung transplant recipients with and without chronic lung allograft dysfunction. JHLT Open.
