Groundbreaking real-time lung scans to revolutionize respiratory health

A pathbreaking imaging technique is set to change the way lung function is assessed by demonstrating the effect of treatments in real-time which can help in detection of decline in lung function much earlier than before.
The new lung scanning method can revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases such as asthma, COPD, and post-lung transplant complications.

How it works

The technique is developed by a team of researchers at Newcastle University in the UK. It reveals how air flows in and out of the lungs during breathing. By using a specialized gas visible on MRI scans, researchers can figure out poorly ventilated lung areas, which can help in early diagnosis and treatment.
The team of researchers explained in two complementary papers in Radiology and JHLT Open, about the use of a special gas, called perfluoropropane, which is visible on an MRI scanner. For the technique to work, the patients are made to breathe in the gas post which scans are taken to look at where in the lungs the gas has reached.

“Our scans show where there is patchy ventilation in patients with lung disease, and show us which parts of the lung improve with treatment. For example, when we scan a patient as they use their asthma medication, we can see how much of their lungs and which parts of their lung are better able to move air in and out with each breath,” said Pete Thelwall, Professor of Magnetic Resonance Physics and Director of the Centre for In Vivo Imaging at Newcastle University.

How it can benefit people with lung disorders

The scanning method is very effective in locating the areas of lungs where air doesn’t reach properly during breathing and this can help find out the poorly ventilated areas in the lungs and help in correct diagnosis.
Researchers from Newcastle and Sheffield have developed advanced imaging techniques to improve lung disease diagnosis and treatment. Published in Radiology, their study demonstrates how these scans can measure ventilation improvements in asthma and COPD patients after using treatments like salbutamol inhalers, making them valuable for clinical trials.
In another study published in JHLT Open, the team showcased how the technique can monitor lung transplant recipients, providing early detection of complications like chronic rejection. By analyzing airflow across the lungs, they identified reduced air movement in damaged small airways, a hallmark of chronic lung allograft dysfunction. This innovation could enhance care for lung transplant patients by enabling earlier intervention.

“We hope this new type of scan might allow us to see changes in the transplant lungs earlier and before signs of damage are present in the usual blowing tests. This would allow any treatment to be started earlier and help protect the transplanted lungs from further damage,” said Andrew Fisher, Professor of Respiratory Transplant Medicine at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle University, UK, co-author of the study.
The scan method can be effective in clinical management of lung transplant recipients and other lung diseases in the future, which can spot early changes in lung function.
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