A groundbreaking lung scanning technique allows for real-time observation of airflow in and out of the lungs during breathing, particularly in patients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and those who have undergone lung transplants. This innovative approach enables medical professionals to monitor how well transplanted lungs operate and could aid in the early detection of declining lung function.
A revolutionary technique for scanning the lungs provides real-time insight into how treatments affect lung function and allows experts to assess the performance of transplanted lungs.
This advancement may help physicians identify drops in lung function much earlier.
The scanning technique, developed by a team led by researchers at Newcastle University in the UK, demonstrates how air circulates in and out of the lungs during a breath for patients facing issues like asthma, COPD, and those who have received lung transplants.
In two related papers published in Radiology and JHLT Open, the researchers describe their use of a special gas known as perfluoropropane, which is visible on MRI scans. Patients can safely inhale and exhale this gas, allowing scans to identify the areas of the lungs reached by the gas.
Professor Pete Thelwall, a leader of the project and Professor of Magnetic Resonance Physics at Newcastle University, stated, “Our scans indicate regions with uneven ventilation in patients with lung diseases, revealing which lung sections improve with treatment. For instance, during scans of a patient using their asthma inhaler, we can observe which parts of their lungs enhance their ability to move air effectively.”
This novel scanning technique highlights areas of the lung that do not receive adequate airflow during respiration. By evaluating the extent of well-ventilated versus poorly ventilated lung sections, experts can assess the impact of a patient’s respiratory condition and pinpoint specific regions that exhibit ventilation issues.
The efficacy of this scanning method was demonstrated in patients with asthma or COPD, with the team of researchers from Newcastle and Sheffield publishing their findings in Radiology.
The new scanning technique allows medical experts to quantify improvements in ventilation following treatments, such as the widely used bronchodilator inhaler, salbutamol. This has significant implications for clinical trials involving new lung disease therapies.
Application in Lung Transplants
Another study featured in JHLT Open assessed patients who had previously undergone lung transplants for severe lung disease at the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. This research refined the imaging technique to yield lung function data that could enhance care for lung transplant recipients moving forward. Its sensitivity enables healthcare providers to detect subtle changes in lung function, allowing for earlier identification of potential issues and improved patient care.
In their research, the team captured MRI scans of lung transplant recipients’ lungs while they breathed in and out, revealing how air containing the gas dispersed throughout different lung areas. They monitored individuals with normal lung function alongside those experiencing chronic rejection post-transplant, a prevalent challenge as the immune system attacks donor lungs. Scans indicated that those with chronic rejection had reduced airflow to the lung’s outer regions, likely due to damage in the tiny airways, a condition often referred to as chronic lung allograft dysfunction.
Professor Andrew Fisher, a co-author of the study and Professor of Respiratory Transplant Medicine at Newcastle, expressed hope that this innovative scanning method might reveal changes in transplant lungs at an earlier stage, prior to observable damage in standard lung function tests. This early detection would enable prompt treatment and potentially safeguard transplanted lungs from successive harm.
The research team believes this scanning method could play a vital role in the clinical management of lung transplant patients and other lung conditions in the future, offering a sensitive gauge to catch early lung function changes for improved management of these diseases.
This lung imaging research has received funding from the Medical Research Council and The Rosetrees Trust.