Magnetic resonance-compatible-spirometry: principle, technical evaluation and application

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and accuracy of a novel magnetic resonance-compatible (MRc)-spirometer. The influence of body posture, magnetic resonance (MR)-setting and image acquisition on lung function was evaluated. Dynamic MR imaging (dMRI) was compared with simultaneously measured lung function.The development of the MRc-spirometer was based on a commercial spirometer and evaluated by flow-generator measurements and forced expiratory manoeuvres in 34 healthy nonsmokers (17 females and 17 males, mean age 32.9 yrs). Mean differences between forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were calculated and a sample paired t-test and Bland-Altman plots were generated. A total of 11 subjects underwent different subsequent MRc-spirometric measurements to assess the influence of the components of the MR system on lung function.The mean (95% confidence interval) difference of FEV1 and FVC between the two systems was 0.004 (-0.04-0.04) L and 0.018 (-0.05-0.09) L, respectively. In the subgroup analysis, an influence of the MR-system on FEV1 was found. FEV1 correlated well with the dMRI measurement of the apico-diaphragmatic distance-change after the first second of forced expiration (r50.72).In conclusion, magnetic resonance-compatible-spirometry is feasible, reliable and safe. The magnetic resonance-setting only has a small influence on simultaneously measured forced expiratory volume in one second. Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging measurements correlate well with simultaneously acquired lung function parameters.

Lung hyperinflation: foe or friend?

“…2) and simultaneously monitored spirometrically using a magnetic resonance-compatible spirometer ( fig. 3) [3]. The measured increase in intrathoracic gas volume amounted to 2.6 L (table 1).…”

Semiautomatic Assessment of Respiratory Motion in Dynamic MRI – Comparison with Simultaneously Acquired Spirometry

“…During imaging all subjects were guided to perform a forced vital capacity (FVC) maneuver. Respiratory volumes Vol Spir were measured during dMRI with an MRI-compatible (MRc) spirometer [16] according to the ATS/ERS standards [15]. The spirometric volume measurements were recorded with a temporal resolution of 10 msec.…”

“…Furthermore, only simultaneously acquired spirometry allows for a detailed comparison of volume changes at full temporal resolution of the dMRI measurement. For this reason, an MRI-compatible spirometer has recently been developed [16] and was used for this study. The purpose of this study is to compare semiautomatically measured changes in thoracic diameters with simultaneously acquired spirometry.…”

Spirometer-controlled cine magnetic resonance imaging used to diagnose tracheobronchomalacia in paediatric patients

“…The use of a MRI compatible spirometer allowed us to monitor inspiratory and expiratory flows and volume during the MRI acquisitions [20]. By acquiring simultaneous functional and morphological data, the severity of the TBM can be established in a standardised fashion.…”

“…Ideally, breathing manoeuvres during cine-MRI should be standardised using cine-MRI spirometry. A MRI compatible spirometer was recently developed and tested [20]. To our knowledge, spirometer controlled cine-MRI has not been applied before in TBM assessment [16,18].…”