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Measurement of lung airways in three dimensions using hyperpolarized helium-3 MRI
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Measurement of lung airways in three dimensions using hyperpolarized helium-3 MRI

Eric T Peterson, Jionghan Dai, James H Holmes and Sean B Fain
Physics in medicine & biology, Vol.56(10), pp.3107-3122
04/27/2011
DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/56/10/014
PMCID: PMC3159390
PMID: 21521907

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Abstract

Large airway measurement is clinically important in cases of airway disease and trauma. The gold standard is computed tomography (CT), which allows for airway measurement. However, the ionizing radiation dose associated with CT is a major limitation in longitudinal studies and trauma. To avoid ionizing radiation from CT, we present a method for measuring large airway diameter in humans using hyperpolarized helium-3 (HPHe) MRI in conjunction with a dynamic 3D radial acquisition. An algorithm is introduced which utilizes the significant airway contrast for semi-automated segmentation and skeletonization which is used to derive airway lumen diameter. The HPHe MRI method was validated with quantitative CT in an excised and desiccated porcine lung (linear regression R 2 = 0.974 and slope = 0.966 over 32 airway segments). The airway lumen diameters were then compared in 24 human subjects (22 asthmatics and 2 normals; linear regression R 2 value of 0.799 and slope = 0.768 over 309 airway segments). Feasibility for airway path analysis to areas of ventilation defect is also demonstrated.
Airway measurement airway tree asthma hyperpolarized helium-3 MRI quantitative CT

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