Chemical Shift Saturation Recovery MR spectroscopy is becoming a powerful tool for quantifying alveolar gas exchange, but is currently predominantly used for whole-lung assessments. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of regional gas-phase saturation as a tool for coarse spatial localization, testing its utility in a rat model of radiation-induced lung injury. We found a large decrease in the ratio between the red-blood-cell and tissue / plasma peaks in the irradiated lung relative to the lungs in a healthy animal. Our approach might be particularly useful for assessing highly heterogeneous disease patterns (radiation-induced lung injuries, lung transplants, etc.).
This abstract and the presentation materials are available to members only; a login is required.