The Respective Roles of Lung Clearance Index and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Clinical Management of Patients with Cystic Fibrosis

Hyperpolarised helium-3 (3He) ventilation magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and multiple-breath washout (MBW) are sensitive methods for detecting lung disease in cystic fibrosis (CF). We aimed to explore their relationship across a broad range of CF disease severity and patient age, as well as assess the effect of inhaled lung volume on ventilation distribution.32 children and adults with CF underwent MBW and 3He-MRI at a lung volume of end-inspiratory tidal volume (EIVT). In addition, 28 patients performed 3He-MRI at total lung capacity. 3He-MRI scans were quantitatively analysed for ventilation defect percentage (VDP), ventilation heterogeneity index (VHI) and the number and size of individual contiguous ventilation defects. From MBW, the lung clearance index, convection-dependent ventilation heterogeneity (Scond) and convection–diffusion-dependent ventilation heterogeneity (Sacin) were calculated.VDP and VHI at EIVT strongly correlated with lung clearance index (r=0.89 and r=0.88, respectively), Sacin (r=0.84 and r=0.82, respectively) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) (r=−0.79 and r=−0.78, respectively). Two distinct 3He-MRI patterns were highlighted: patients with abnormal FEV1 had significantly (p<0.001) larger, but fewer, contiguous defects than those with normal FEV1, who tended to have numerous small volume defects. These two MRI patterns were delineated by a VDP of ∼10%. At total lung capacity, when compared to EIVT, VDP and VHI reduced in all subjects (p<0.001), demonstrating improved ventilation distribution and regions of volume-reversible and nonreversible ventilation abnormalities.

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Does imaging of the olfactory tract change the clinical management of patients with olfactory disturbance? A case series of 100 consecutive patients

The Journal of Laryngology & Otology ◽

10.1017/s0022215114001625 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 128 (9) ◽

pp. 810-813 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

J Powell ◽

M Reda Elbadawey ◽

I Zammit-Maempel

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Clinical Management ◽

Case Series ◽

Olfactory Dysfunction ◽

Case Review ◽

Resonance Imaging ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Olfactory Tract ◽

Cross Sectional Imaging

AbstractBackground:Isolated olfactory dysfunction is a common complaint; the vast majority of cases are benign and untreatable. A common dilemma is whether to image the olfactory tract of affected patients.Methods:A case review of 100 consecutive patients who underwent magnetic resonance imaging for the primary complaint of olfactory dysfunction was performed. Patients with a diagnosis of chronic rhinosinusitis, with or without nasal polyps, were excluded.Results:Magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities that were considered clinically relevant to the presentation of olfactory dysfunction were found in only seven patients (7 per cent). Of these, only one patient (1 per cent) had an abnormality found that altered their clinical management. A comparison of the findings for children (less than 16 years old,n = 5) with those for adults (equal to or more than 16 years old,n = 95) revealed that 4 per cent of adults scanned had olfactory-related pathology diagnosed, as opposed to 60 per cent of children.Conclusion:Cross-sectional imaging may not be necessary in most patients with olfactory dysfunction. Imaging adds little to the patient history and clinical examination findings.

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