Project Details
Advanced non-contrast enhanced functional and quantitative magnetic resonance lung imaging in pediatric patient
Subject Area
Radiology
Medical Physics, Biomedical Technology
Medical Physics, Biomedical Technology
Term
since 2018
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 397806429
Lung function measurements are of importance in clinical routine, as lung morbidity affects daily life enormously. Especially in pediatric patients, compliance in clinical testing such as spirometry is impaired. Therefore, reproducible measurements that do not require cooperation are desirable. In the last years, especially in context with our previous DFG supported project, we have established MRI based lung perfusion measurements in the follow-up of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) patients - initially via contrast agent based measurements (dynamic contrast enhanced, DCE) and in present works via Fourier decomposition techniques without contrast agent. The proposed research project aims at developing a robust and contrast agent free functional lung imaging workflow for the application in pediatrics and neonatology. The herein established workflow will be used to answer the following different mainly clinical research questions: 1. Can lung perfusion and ventilation be robustly estimated using non-contrast enhanced imaging (FD method)? 2. What is the diagnostic significance of the FD method in functional lung imaging in children after CDH? 3. Can a change in lung perfusion be detected by MRI in a long-term follow-up of children after CDH? 4. Can the FD method replace the contrast agent-based lung perfusion analysis? 5. Can this technique be translated into other diseases in this age group? We will apply the developed techniques in patients after CDH at the age of two and ten years as well as in patients with thoracic deformities.
DFG Programme
Research Grants