Marcus John Couch MSc, BSc, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Iain K. Ball, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Tao Li, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Matthew S. Fox, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Birubi Biman, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Mitchell S. Albert PhD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Fluorine-19 (19F) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lungs using inhaled inert fluorinated gases can provide images that are similar in quality to hyperpolarized (HP) noble gas MRI. Inert fluorinated gases are nontoxic, abundant, inexpensive, and they have short longitudinal relaxation times. As a result, there is sufficient thermally polarized signal for imaging, and the gases do not need to be hyperpolarized prior to their use in MRI. The purpose of this study was to optimize image acquisition strategies and breathing protocols for imaging of human lungs with inert fluorinated gas MRI. 

Imaging was performed using a 3.0T Philips Achieva scanner and a flexible wrap-around quadrature transmit/receive coil (Clinical MR Solutions). Eleven healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study with no history of lung diseases. Breathing protocols were optimized for imaging with an inhaled gas mixture of 79% perfluoropropane (PFP) and 21% O2. 3D 19F images were acquired using ultra-short echo time (UTE) and gradient echo techniques.

In one representative subject, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the center slices was 37 ± 4 for UTE, and 29 ± 6 for gradient echo images. In both cases, the SNR was more than a factor of 2 larger than the SNR reported by Soher et al. (Proc. ISMRM, 2010). Overall, the SNR from UTE images was significantly different from gradient echo images (p = 0.02). UTE images had a superior SNR; however, they suffered from poor edge detail due to the nature of the data acquisition. 

Overall, 19F MRI using inert fluorinated gases is a new pulmonary imaging modality that can provide valuable spatially localized and functional information without the need for scarce noble gas isotopes, an expensive polarizer, or ionizing radiation. This preliminary study demonstrates the potential of 19F MRI for visualizing the distribution of ventilation in human lungs, and this may be a viable clinical imaging modality that can provide useful information for the diagnosis of chronic respiratory diseases. 

Inert fluorinated gas MRI can cheaply and efficiently obtain high quality images of the lungs, and it can potentially be performed on patients with chronic respiratory diseases.

Couch, M, Ball, I, Li, T, Fox, M, Biman, B, Albert, M, Fluorine-19 MRI: A New Functional Pulmonary Imaging Modality.  Radiological Society of North America 2013 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, December 1 - December 6, 2013 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2013/13015557.html