Functional 3He-MRI of the lungs

Pulmonary diseases have a high health-related and economic significance. He-3-MRI is an alternative imaging method which can detect ventilatory disturbances with a high sensitivity. The application of different pulse sequences allows static and dynamic assessment of ventilation and bronchial gas flow, non-invasive measurement of intrapulmonary oxygen partial pressure and quantification of pulmonary parenchyma destruction and overinflation. Generally, the method is applicable for obstructive and restrictive ventilatory disturbances but initial approaches also exist for vascular pulmonary diseases. Specific clinical applications remain to be determined but He-3-MRI is an excellent instrument for the assessment of physiologic and pathophysiologic interrelations in the distribution of ventilation.