Development of tracer gas lung MRI approaches using inert fluorinated gases

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，MRI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MRI是非常困难的，因为肺大部分是充满空气的，没有太多的水含量。此外，传统的MRI和大多数基于X射线的技术拍摄肺部的照片，并不提供有关肺部工作情况的信息（即。功能信息）。最近，使用惰性氟化气体作为用于肺成像的可吸入对比机制的MRI引起了人们的兴趣。这些气体是安全的，相对丰富，便宜，并且可以通过MRI检测到。这使我们能够可视化肺内的气体分布，使我们能够测量肺的工作情况。尽管惰性氟化气体MRI提供了很多好处，但它没有得到充分利用，仅在全球少数医院和研究中心进行了探索。部分原因是，与如何最好地使用这项技术相关的基本问题仍然没有得到解答，例如：哪种氟化气体最好？在MRI中向受试者输送气体的最佳方式是什么？哪些MRI扫描参数最适合此应用？这项技术在儿童和成人中是否同样可行？该项目的目的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，我们将把我们的研究结果（如最佳成像策略）转化为标准操作程序（SOP）和软件包，可与其他机构共享，进一步降低更广泛临床采用的障碍。

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.