Perfusion imaging of the human lung using flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery with an extra radiofrequency pulse (FAIRER)

• Published in: Magnetic resonance imaging 1999-04, Vol.17 (3), p.355-361
• Main Authors: Mai, Vu M, Hagspiel, Klaus D, Christopher, John M, Do, Huy M, Altes, Talissa, Knight–Scott, Jack, Stith, Andrea L, Maier, Therese, Berr, Stuart S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Arterial spin tagging; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Flow Velocity - physiology; Cardiac triggering; Contrast Media; Diffusion; FAIRER; Female; Humans; Image Enhancement; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Lung - blood supply; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical sciences; Noninvasive; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Pulmonary perfusion imaging; Reference Values; Regional Blood Flow - physiology; Respiratory system; Spin Labels
• ISSN: 0730-725X; 1873-5894
• DOI: 10.1016/S0730-725X(98)00190-8

Pulmonary perfusion is an important parameter in the evaluation of lung diseases such as pulmonary embolism. A noninvasive MR perfusion imaging technique of the lung is presented in which magnetically labeled blood water is used as an endogenous, freely diffusible tracer. The perfusion imaging technique is an arterial spin tagging method called Flow sensitive Alternating Inversion Recovery with an Extra Radiofrequency pulse (FAIRER). Seven healthy human volunteers were studied. High-resolution perfusion-weighted images with negligible artifacts were acquired within a single breathhold. Different patterns of signal enhancement were observed between the pulmonary vessels and parenchyma, which persists up to TI = 1400 ms. The T 1s of blood and lung parenchyma were determined to be 1.46s and 1.35 s, respectively.