Xe MRI ventilation defects in ever-hospitalised and never-hospitalised people with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome.

Background: Patients often report persistent symptoms beyond the acute infectious phase of COVID-19. Hyperpolarised Xe MRI provides a way to directly measure airway functional abnormalities; the clinical relevance of Xe MRI ventilation defects in ever-hospitalised and never-hospitalised patients who had COVID-19 has not been ascertained. It remains unclear if persistent symptoms beyond the infectious phase are related to small airways disease and ventilation heterogeneity.