Hyperpolarized helium-3 magnetic resonance lung imaging of non-sedated infants and young children: a proof-of-concept study

Talissa A Altes; Craig H Meyer; Jaime F Mata; Deborah K Froh; Alix Paget-Brown; W Gerald Teague; Sean B Fain; Eduard E de Lange; Kai Ruppert; Martyn C Botfield; Mac A Johnson; John P Mugler 3rd

doi:10.1016/j.clinimag.2017.04.004

Hyperpolarized helium-3 magnetic resonance lung imaging of non-sedated infants and young children: a proof-of-concept study

Clin Imaging. 2017 Sep-Oct:45:105-110. doi: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2017.04.004. Epub 2017 May 10.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States; Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States. Electronic address: altest@health.missouri.edu.
² Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States.
³ Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States.
⁴ Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States.
⁵ Department of Medical Physics and Radiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States.
⁶ Department of Radiology University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
⁷ Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, Boston, MA, United States.

PMID: 28646735
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2017.04.004

Abstract

Purpose: To develop and evaluate a protocol for hyperpolarized helium-3 (HHe) ventilation magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lungs of non-sedated infants and children.

Materials and methods: HHe ventilation MRI was performed on seven children ≤4years old. Contiguous 2D-spiral helium-3 images were acquired sequentially with a scan time of ≤0.2s/slice.

Results: Motion-artifact-free, high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) images of lung ventilation were obtained. Gas was homogeneously distributed in healthy individuals; focal ventilation defects were found in patients with respiratory diseases.

Conclusion: HHe ventilation MRI can aid assessment of pediatric lung disease even at a young age.

Keywords: Child; Cystic fibrosis; Hyperpolarized helium MRI; Infant; Magnetic resonance imaging.

MeSH terms

Child, Preschool
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Helium / pharmacology*
Humans
Infant
Isotopes / pharmacology*
Lung / diagnostic imaging*
Lung Diseases / diagnosis*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
Male
Proof of Concept Study*
Reproducibility of Results

Substances

Isotopes
Helium
Helium-3