Insights into pediatric asthma with hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging of the lung

The application of sophisticated quantitative imaging techniques in the developing lung might provide insights into the underlying pathophysiology of respiratory disease beyond that we can obtain from physiologic testing alone. Hyperpolarized gas magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can assess the functional alterations of airflow within the lung resulting from the structural changes occurring in the central and distal small airways and lung parenchyma of asthmatic patients. Hyperpolarized gases are used as inhaled contrast agents for MRI of the lung and provide images of the lung airspaces with high spatial resolution. 3Helium (3He) and 129xenon are nonradioactive isotopes that can be polarized. The excellent safety profile of hyperpolarized gases, the lack of ionizing radiation associated with MRI, and the rapid clearance of the gases from the lungs permits repeated evaluation of subjects, now including children, as demonstrated by Cadman et al.
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research