This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hill, C Articles by van Beek, E J R Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Hill, C Articles by van Beek, E J R

MRI of the chest: present and future

Unit of Academic Radiology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield S10 2JF, UK

Correspondence: Dr Edwin J R van Beek, Unit of Academic Radiology, Floor C, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, UK

• MRI techniques have been developed for imaging of pulmonary vascular disease and for perfusion and ventilation studies.
  
• Patients with chronic lung diseases, who require repeated investigations, may be most likely to benefit as these techniques are safe and do not carry ionizing radiation burden.
  
• MR angiography will become the preferred method of imaging in patients with chronic pulmonary vascular diseases. Furthermore, this technique may replace CT in therapeutic trials for the assessment of thrombus resolution.
  
• Ventilation MRI, using hyperpolarized 3-He gas, has the opportunity to non-invasively study pulmonary physiology and pathophysiology. The method has potential for the assessment of therapy effects in patients of all ages.
  

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J Vestbo and J C Hogg Convergence of the epidemiology and pathology of COPD Thorax, January 1, 2006; 61(1): 86 - 88. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Answers to multiple-choice questionnaire: Chest radiology [from Imaging 16(1)] Imaging, August 1, 2004; 16(3): 281 - 284. [Full Text] [PDF]