Viability of Oxygen-enhanced Ventilation Imaging of the Lungs Using Ultra-short Echo Time MRI

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the viability of oxygen-enhanced ventilation images using ultra-short echo time magnetic resonance imaging (UTE-MRI).

Methods: We evaluated the oxygen enhancement of the pulmonary T₂*, and pulmonary signals in each TE (0.2, 0.8, 1.4, 2.0 ms) in 21 nonsmokers.

Results: The oxygen enhancement of pulmonary signals was the most significant (32%) at the 0.2 ms TE, the second in the pulmonary T₂* (−18%).

Conclusions: Pulmonary images using UTE-MRI are useful for ventilation imaging.