Author: Kristina Nancy WattPublisher:
ISBN: 9780494273579
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 136
Book Description
Pulmonary magnetic resonance (MR) imaging provides valuable information about lung anatomy and perfusion and ventilation physiology. Oxygen-enhanced MR imaging visualizes the effect of ventilation using inhaled molecular oxygen as a T1-shortening contrast agent. The technique is challenged, however, by low proton density of lung tissue and cardiopulmonary physiology that result in reduced MR signal and increased motion artifacts. With the growing interest in mouse models of respiratory disease, application of human pulmonary MR techniques to mice is highly desirable. The purpose of this work was to develop oxygen-enhanced MR imaging as a non-invasive tool to examine ventilation in free-breathing mice. An optimized cardiac-triggered, respiratory-gated fast spin echo sequence was developed for oxygen-enhanced MR and successfully demonstrated in normal mice. Ventilation was visualized as significant signal enhancement in the lung parenchyma with pure oxygen inhalation. This sequence shows potential for application to studies of abnormal ventilation in models of pulmonary disease.