Imaging of Pulmonary Mucociliary Clearance

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案的总体目的是优化用于研究囊性纤维化（CF）患者肺部气道生理学的成像技术。粘膜纤毛清除（MCC）是一种主要的气道宿主防御机制，它的缺陷使CF患者更容易受到慢性和最终危及生命的感染。量化MCC和CF的潜在病理生理学的成像技术的进一步发展将增加其作为结局指标的效用，从而加速评价最终延长该人群生存期的治疗。该提案的研究部分包括开发2-同位素核医学扫描，以同时评估粘膜纤毛清除率和气道表面液体体积。这是研究者以前用于研究该人群MCC的单一同位素技术的扩展。还将使用手动和自动定量计算机断层扫描（CT）技术，允许清除率的区域差异与肺部内的特定病理相匹配，并定位于特定尺寸范围内的气道。还提出了一种新系统的设计，用于更精确、可重复和有针对性地递送用于评估肺清除率的气雾剂。获奖期间提出的职业发展包括：（1）CF的持续研究培训，（2）高级核医学技术的指导学习，（3）CT图像量化指导，（4）生物医学科学基础的研究生课程，（5）与北卡罗来纳州大学正在追求类似研究兴趣的研究人员进行的持续咨询，（6）继续参加关于纤毛、粘液和粘膜纤毛相互作用的戈登会议，（7）每月接受胸部放射科医生的指导，学习CT扫描解读。拟议的研究和培训将提供必要的核心技能，以在工程和医学之间的独特界面领域实现研究独立。(End摘要）

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The general aim of this proposal is to optimize the imaging techniques used to study airway physiology in the lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Deficiencies in mucociliary clearance (MCC), a primary airway host defense mechanism, make patients with CF more vulnerable to chronic and ultimately life threatening infections. Further development of the imaging techniques that quantify MCC and the underlying pathophysiology of CF will increase their utility as outcome measures, allowing for the accelerated evaluation of treatments that will ultimately extend the survival of this population. The research portion of the proposal includes the development of a 2-isotope nuclear medicine scan to simultaneously assess mucociliary clearance rate and airway surface liquid volume. This is an extension of the single isotope technique previously used by the investigators to study MCC in this population. Manual and automated quantitative computed tomography (CT) techniques will also be utilized, allowing regional differences in clearance rate to be matched to specific pathologies within the lungs and localized to airways within specific size ranges. The design of a new system for more precise, repeatable, and targeted delivery of the aerosols used to assess pulmonary clearance is also proposed. Career development proposed during the award includes: (1) on going research training in CF, (2) the mentored study of advanced nuclear medicine techniques, (3) instruction in CT image quantification, (4) a graduate course in the Foundations of Biomedical Science, (5) an on-going consultation with researchers at the University of North Carolina who are pursuing similar research interests, (6) continued participation in Gordon Conferences on cilia, mucus, and mucociliary interactions, and (7) monthly instruction from a thoracic radiologist to learn CT scan interpretation. The proposed research and training will provide the core skills necessary to progress towards research independence in a field at a unique interface between engineering and medicine. (End of Abstract)