MRI has previously demonstrated increased lung water content in patients with heart failure (HF), but has not yet been used to distinguish between intravascular and extravascular water in these patients. This study evaluated dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) for measuring pulmonary oedema and endothelial permeability in healthy volunteers (HV) and chronic HF patients at rest and post-exercise. DCE-MRI showed a redistribution of lung water towards the interstitial space in chronic HF, as compared to HV, suggesting this method may have value as a novel endpoint for dose-ranging and proof-of-mechanism studies in chronic HF. No exercise-induced change was seen in either group.
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