Early emphysematous changes in asymptomatic smokers: detection with 3He MR imaging.

Purpose: To prospectively compare apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements derived from diffusion-weighted hyperpolarized helium 3 (3He) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with functional and structural findings using spirometric tests and thin-section computed tomography (CT) of the lungs in asymptomatic smokers and healthy nonsmokers of similar age.

Materials And Methods: All studies were HIPAA compliant and were approved by the institutional review board. Informed consent was obtained.

Detection of age-dependent changes in healthy adult lungs with diffusion-weighted 3He MRI.

Rationale And Objectives: To investigate changes in lung microstructure in healthy adult subjects with no smoking history using diffusion-weighted 3He MRI.

Materials And Methods: Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging using hyperpolarized helium 3 (3He) was applied to healthy volunteers to explore the dependence of lung microstructural changes with age, reflected by changes in the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of 3He in lung air spaces. Data from three sites (University of Virginia (UVa), N = 25; University of Wisconsin (UW), N = 8; University of Nottingham (UN), N = 11) were combined in pooled analysis, including a total of N = 44 subjects (age range, 18-69 years; average age, 41.