Hyperpolarised xenon magnetic resonance spectroscopy for the longitudinal assessment of changes in gas diffusion in IPF.

Weatherley, Nicholas D; Stewart, Neil J; Chan, Ho-Fung; Austin, Matthew; Smith, Laurie J; Collier, Guilhem; Rao, Madhwesha; Marshall, Helen et al. · Thorax · 2019

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Abstract

Prognosticating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is challenging, in part due to a lack of sensitive biomarkers. A recent article in <i>Thorax</i> described how hyperpolarised xenon magnetic resonance spectroscopy may quantify regional gas exchange in IPF lungs. In a population of patients with IPF, we find that the xenon signal from red blood cells diminishes relative to the tissue/plasma signal over a 12-month time period, even when the diffusion factor for carbon monoxide is static over the same time period. We conclude that hyperpolarised <sup>129</sup>Xe MR spectroscopy may be sensitive to short-term changes in interstitial gas diffusion in IPF.

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