<scp>2D</scp> Ultrashort Echo‐Time Functional Lung Imaging

BACKGROUND Imaging of the lung by MRI is challenging due to the intrinsic low proton density and rapid T2 * relaxation. MRI methods providing lung parenchyma and function are in demand. PURPOSE To investigate the feasibility of two-dimensional ultrashort echo-time (2D UTE) imaging for lung function assessment. STUDY TYPE Prospective. POPULATION Eleven healthy volunteers. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE 3T, 2D tiny golden angle UTE (2D-tyUTE). ASSESSMENT The applicability of breath-hold (BH) and self-gated (SG) 2D-tyUTE for quantification of the lung parenchyma signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), proton fraction (fP ), fractional ventilation (FV), and perfusion (f) was investigated. Dependencies on repetition time (BHS/I1/I2 ) and respiratory phase (expiration [EX], inspiration [IN]) were investigated and compared between smokers and nonsmokers. STATISTICAL TESTS Analysis of variance (ANOVA), Kendell&#39;s W. RESULTS Significant differences of SNR (EX: 10.98 &#177; 3.19(BHS ), 14.58 &#177; 3.89(BHI1 ), 17.59 &#177; 4.92(BHI2 ), 11.00 &#177; 5.42(SG); IN: 7.17 &#177; 2.07(BHS ), 9.51 &#177; 2.37(BHI1 ), 10.49 &#177; 2.33(BHI2 ), 10.00 &#177; 4.14(SG)) (P