Frederik Hengstenberg1,2, Torsten Dorniok1,
Sergei Karpuk3, Jrgen Vestbo2, Rahim Rizi4,
Per keson1, Peter Magnusson1, Lise Vejby Sgaard1
1Danish Research Centre for Magnetic
Resonance, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark; 2Department
of Cardiology and Respiratory Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital
Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark; 3Institute of Physics, University of
Mainz, Mainz, Germany; 4Department of Radiology, University of
Pennsylvania, PA, United States
There
is a need for developing a more sensitive biomarker for monitoring
progression of pulmonary emphysema in COPD.
In this study with 20 COPD patients and 5 healthy control subjects the
use of the 3He apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in assessing progression
was investigated in a one year longitudinal study comparing ADC measurements,
CT densitometry and lung function tests. In a subgroup of emphysema patients
a significant increase of ADC was detected, reflecting disease
progression.