Alexandra Rose Morgan1,2,
Geoff J. M. Parker1,2, Penny L. Hubbard1,2, David Singh2,3,
Jrgen Vestbo2,3, Simon S. Young4, Eva Bondesson5,
Lars Wigstrm5, Lars E. Olsson6, Marietta L. J. Scott7,
Josephine H. Naish1,2
1Imaging
Science & Biomedical Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester,
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom; 2Biomedical Imaging Institute,
University of Manchester, Manchester, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom; 3Airway
Pharmacology Group, School of Translational Medicine, University Hospital of
South Manchester, Manchester, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom; 4AstraZeneca
R&D, Charnwood, United Kingdom; 5AstraZeneca, Lund, Sweden; 6AstraZeneca,
Mlndal, Sweden; 7AstraZeneca, Alderley Park, Macclesfield, United
Kingdom
An MRI method to obtain measures of relative regional compliance and local lung dynamics has been developed. The method utilizes free-breathing proton MRI images and image warping to illustrate regions of altered lung mechanics in disease. The method has been applied in a cohort of healthy volunteers and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with varying disease severity, the results of which are presented here. Clear differences between COPD patients and healthy volunteers could be seen in the majority of cases, with patients exhibiting regions of reduced and asymmetrical lung motion and an increased heterogeneity in relative regional compliance.