Dynamic 19F‐MRI of pulmonary ventilation using sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas

Abstract
A new method for dynamic imaging of pulmonary wash‐in and wash‐out kinetics of inhaled sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas was developed. Measurements at the fluorine‐19 Larmor frequency were performed in pigs using a gradient echo pulse sequence with 0.5 ms echo time and a measurement time of 9.1 s per image. Dynamic MRI was performed during wash‐in and wash‐out of SF6 gas in mechanically ventilated porcine lungs. A postprocessing strategy was developed for quantitative determination of wash‐out time constants in the presence of noise. Mean wash‐out constants were 4.78 ± 0.48 breaths vs. 4.33 ± 0.76 breaths for left and right lung when ventilation was performed with low tidal volume, and 1.73 ± 0.16 breaths vs. 1.85 ± 0.11 breaths with high tidal volume ventilation. In conclusion, breath‐hold MRI of SF6 gas is feasible in large animals. Moreover, regional wash‐in and wash‐out kinetics of SF6 can be determined noninvasively with this new method. Potential human applications are discussed. Magn Reson Med 45:605–613, 2001.
Funding Information
  • Innovationsstiftung Rheinland-Pfalz

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