Asthma MRI

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, M.B.B.S. [2]

MRI

Functional MRIs help to measure the actual lung ventilation and localize the precise pathological area involved during an acute asthmatic attack. The use of special paramagnetic gases enhance the low signal-to-noise ratio of conventional spin-echo and gradient-echo techniques a several fold times, which in turn, abolishes the disadvantages induced by the air-alveolar interfaces.

Nuclear Imaging

Radio-aerosol lung scintigraphy with technetium has been shown to precisely evaluate the extent of aerosol and particulate distribution and absorption through the entire air passage. In asthmatics receiving dry-powder inhalers as opposed to metered-dose inhalers, technetium scintigraphy may be used to demonstrate improved peripheral lung distribution of steroids. Ventilation defects may also be detected using technetium-99m DTPA.