129Xe gas transfer lung MRI before and after bronchodilator inhalation in patients with asthma and/or COPD

Lung ventilation increases after bronchodilator inhalation in patients with asthma or COPD but there is little MRI data on how bronchodilator inhalation affects gas transfer. 117 patients with asthma and/or COPD were scanned with 129Xe gas transfer MRI before and after bronchodilator inhalation. There were no significant changes in red blood cell (RBC) / membrane (M), RBC/gas or M/gas in response to bronchodilator when all patients were considered, but RBC/gas and M/gas increased post-bronchodilator in a sub-group of patients with asthma+COPD. The amplitude of RBC oscillations increased post-bronchodilator in patients with asthma or COPD, and when all patients were considered.