MRI technique involves harmless gas

People with chronic lung disease and asthma could soon be offered better treatment thanks to a new type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning technique being pioneered at Nottingham University.

At present, X-rays or CT scans are used to investigate lung diseases. However, X-rays and CTs only show the structure of the lung and do not reveal any detail on how well the lungs are functioning. They also involve a small exposure to radiation that can limit repeat scanning.

In the new technique, patients are given a specially treated harmless gas to inhale prior to the MRI scan. Unlike air, the gas shows up clearly on an MRI scan, giving a picture of the lungs and their damaged and healthy areas. It also shows the gas being absorbed into the bloodstream, giving doctors a clear idea of how well different parts of the lungs are transferring oxygen.

The gas itself is Xenon 129, which is ‘hyperpolarised’ using lasers to make it detectable in the MRI scanner. While this approach has been tried previously using Helium 3, this gas is difficult to obtain and is unsuitable for routine clinical work. Xenon 129 is easy to obtain and has the potential to be used widely in clinics.