Hyperpolarized 129Xe gas exchange MRI was used to compare patients with non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) and healthy controls. NSIP patients had significantly increased interstitial barrier uptake and decreased red blood cell transfer despite preserved ventilation; in some cases, these abnormalities were present without spatially associated CT findings. These results suggest that 129Xe gas exchange MRI is sensitive to disease activity that is not reflected on 129Xe ventilation alone, or on CT. Ongoing analyses will test the ability of this technique to assess response to targeted therapies and guide clinical decision making in NSIP and other interstitial lung diseases.
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