Damaged lung gas exchange function of discharged COVID-19 patients detected by hyperpolarized <sup>129</sup> Xe MRI
Haidong Li, Xiuchao Zhao, Yujin Wang, Xin Lou, Shizhen Chen, He Deng, Lei Shi, Junshuai Xie, Dazhong Tang, Jianping Zhao, Louis‐S. Bouchard, Liming Xia, Xin Zhou
Abstract
Xe MRI, we found that COVID-19 patients show a higher rate of ventilation defects (5.9% versus 3.7%), unchanged microstructure, and longer gas-blood exchange time (43.5 ms versus 32.5 ms) compared with healthy individuals. These findings suggest that regional ventilation and alveolar airspace dimensions are relatively normal around the time of discharge, while gas-blood exchange function is diminished. This study establishes the feasibility of localized lung function measurements in COVID-19 patients and their potential usefulness as a supplement to structural imaging.
Topics & Concepts
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Lung functionLungMedicineNuclear medicineMagnetic resonance imagingPulmonary function testingSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)RadiologyNuclear magnetic resonancePathologyInternal medicineDiseasePhysicsInfectious disease (medical specialty)Atomic and Subatomic Physics ResearchThermal Regulation in MedicineAdvanced MRI Techniques and Applications