New scanning method reveals secrets of lung function

This could allow doctors to identify declines in lung function sooner.

A team led by researchers at the University of Newcastle, UK, used this scanning method to examine how air enters the lungs when breathing in people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is now possible to observe whether the animals enter or exit the area. I received a lung transplant.

Two complementary papers published Radiology and JHLT openthe research team describes how they use a special gas called perfluoropropane that can be seen in an MRI scanner. The patient can safely inhale and exhale the gas, and a scan will be done to see where in the lungs the gas has reached.

Project leader Professor Pete Selwallis is Professor of Magnetic Resonance Physics and Director of the In Vivo Imaging Center at Newcastle University. he said. “Our scans show us where patients with lung disease have patchy ventilation and indicate which parts of their lungs will improve with treatment. For example, if we scan a patient who is on asthma medication, , which parts of the lungs are working better and which parts of the lungs are better able to move air in and out with each breath.

Using a new scanning method, the research team was able to reveal parts of the lungs where air doesn't reach properly during breathing. Experts can assess the impact of a patient's respiratory disease by measuring which parts of the lungs are well-ventilated and which parts are poorly ventilated, and identify and visualize areas of the lung with impaired ventilation. can be converted into

A team of experts from universities and NHS trusts in Newcastle and Sheffield has published the first paper demonstrating that the scan is effective for people with asthma and COPD. Radiology.

The new scanning technology allowed the team to quantify the degree of improvement in ventilation when patients received treatment, in this case an inhaler of salbutamol, a widely used bronchodilator. This indicates that this imaging method may be valuable in clinical trials of new treatments for lung diseases.

Use in lung transplantation

Further research JHLT openexamined patients at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust who had previously undergone a lung transplant due to very severe lung disease. This shows how the team has developed an imaging method that provides lung function measurements that can be used to better support lung transplant recipients in the future. The sensitivity of the measurements means doctors can detect changes in lung function earlier, allowing them to identify lung problems earlier and provide better care to patients.

In the research study, the team scanned the lungs of transplant recipients as they inhaled and exhaled multiple times, collecting MRI images that showed how the gas-laden air reached different areas of the lungs. The research team performed scans on people who had normal lung function or were experiencing chronic rejection after a lung transplant. Chronic rejection is a common problem in lung transplant recipients because the recipient's immune system attacks the donor's lungs. In people with chronic rejection, scans showed poor movement of air to the edges of the lungs. This is probably caused by damage to the very small breathing tubes (airways) in the lungs and is a typical feature, also known as chronic rejection. Chronic lung allograft dysfunction.

Study co-author Professor Andrew Fisher, Professor of Respiratory Transplant Medicine at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle University, UK, said: “We hope that this new type of scan will allow us to see changes in the transplanted lung earlier, before any signs of damage show up on a regular blow test. This will allow us to start any treatment sooner. “This will help protect the transplanted lung from further damage.” ”

The research team believes that this scanning method could be used in the future for the clinical management of lung transplant recipients and other lung diseases, finding early changes in lung function that could enable better management of these conditions. It is said that this has the potential to lead to highly sensitive measurements.

This research into lung imaging was funded by the Medical Research Council and The Rosetrees Trust.