¹⁹F-MRI of inhaled perfluoropropane for quantitative imaging of pulmonary ventilation

Abstract

MRI of exogenous imaging agents offers a safely repeatable modality to assess regional pulmonary ventilation. A small number of studies have validated the safety and potential utility of 19F imaging of inhaled thermally polarised perfluoropropane. However, the relative scarcity of signal in restrictive breath hold length acquisition times inhibits translation of this technique to clinical application. This work presents methods used to maximise the attainable image quality of inhaled perfluoropropane. Novel quantitative measures of ventilation and perfusion have been investigated and discussed. A preliminary healthy volunteer study was conducted to verify the efficacy of the imaging technique and to assess perfluoropropane wash-in and wash-out rates. Quantitative assessment of the suitability of four RF coil designs was performed, comparing power efficiency with loading and signal homogeneity within the sensitive volume of each coil. The 3D spoiled gradient echo sequence was simulated, accounting for the power performance of the chosen birdcage coil design, for calculation of acquisition parameter values required to achieve the highest SNR in a fixed acquisition period for 19F-MRI of inhaled perfluoropropane. Studies on resolution phantoms and healthy volunteers assessed the performance of the optimised imaging protocol, in combination with a compressed sensing technique that permitted up to three-fold acceleration. Two novel lung-representative phantoms were fabricated and used to investigate the behaviour of the MR properties of inhaled perfluoropropane with changing structural and magnetic environments. Finally, a method for lengthening the T2* of inhaled perfluoropropane by susceptibility matching the alveolar tissue to the inhaled gas by intravenous injection of a highly paramagnetic contrast agent is presented. Initial development work was conducted in phantoms and rodents before translation to healthy volunteers. This technique offers the potential to concurrently acquire images reflecting both pulmonary ventilation and perfusion.