Development of tracer gas lung MRI approaches using inert fluorinated gases

使用惰性氟化气体开发示踪气体肺 MRI 方法

• 批准号: 566758-2021
• 负责人: Santyr, Giles
• 金额: $ 6.45万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Alliance Grants
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=719155
• 关键词: Development; tracer; gas; lung; MRI

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technology that allows pictures to be taken inside the body without the use of x-rays or other harmful radiation. Typically, MRI works by being able to image water inside organs and tissues of the human body. Unfortunately, MRI of the lungs is very difficult due to the fact that the lungs are mostly air-filled, without much water content by volume. Additionally, conventional MRI and most x-ray based technologies which take pictures of the lungs take anatomical pictures, and do not provide information about how well the lungs are working (ie. functional information). MRI using inert fluorinated gases as an inhalable contrast mechanism for lung imaging has gained interest recently. These gases are safe, relatively abundant, cheap, and are detectable by the MRI. This allows us to visualize the distribution of gases inside the lungs, allowing us to measure how well the lung is working. Despite the benefits provided by inert fluorinated gas MRI, it is under-utilized and has only been explored at a handful of hospitals and research centres worldwide. Part of the reason for this is because there are still fundamental unanswered questions associated with how best to use this technology such as: which fluorinated gas is best? What is the best way to deliver the gas to a subject in the MRI? Which MRI scan parameters work best for this application? Is this technique feasible in children as well as adults? The aim of this project will be to answer the outstanding technical questions described above to help develop robust inert fluorinated gas lung MRI methodologies. With the help of our private-sector partner, we will translate our findings, such as optimal imaging strategies, into standard operating procedures (SOP) and software packages that may be shared with other institutions, further lowering the barrier to more widespread clinical adoption.

磁共振成像(MRI)是一种医学成像技术，可以在不使用X射线或其他有害辐射的情况下在体内拍摄照片。通常，核磁共振的工作原理是能够对人体器官和组织内的水进行成像。不幸的是，肺部的核磁共振成像是非常困难的，因为肺部大部分是空气填充的，没有太多的体积水含量。此外，传统的MRI和大多数基于X射线拍摄肺部照片的技术都会拍摄解剖照片，并且不提供有关肺部工作情况的信息(即。功能信息)。使用惰性氟化气体作为肺部成像的一种可吸入对比剂机制的MRI最近引起了人们的兴趣。这些气体是安全的、相对丰富的、廉价的，可以通过核磁共振检测到。这使我们能够可视化肺部内气体的分布，使我们能够测量肺的工作情况。尽管惰性氟化气体核磁共振有很多好处，但它没有得到充分利用，而且只在世界范围内的少数几家医院和研究中心进行了探索。这样做的部分原因是，关于如何最好地使用这项技术，仍然有一些根本的问题没有得到回答，比如：哪种氟化气体最好？在核磁共振检查中，向受试者输送气体的最佳方式是什么？哪种MRI扫描参数最适合此应用程序？这项技术在儿童和成人中都可行吗？该项目的目的将是回答上述突出的技术问题，以帮助开发强大的惰性氟化气体肺MRI方法。在我们私营部门合作伙伴的帮助下，我们将把我们的发现，如最佳成像策略，转化为标准操作程序(SOP)和可与其他机构共享的软件包，进一步降低更广泛临床采用的障碍。