Mapping cardiopulmonary dynamics within the microvasculature of the lungs using dissolved 129Xe MRI

Spatially heterogeneous abnormalities within the lung microvasculature contribute to pathology in various cardiopulmonary diseases but are difficult to assess noninvasively. Hyperpolarized 129 Xe MRI is a noninvasive method to probe lung function, including regional gas exchange between pulmonary air spaces and capillaries. We show that cardiogenic oscillations in the raw dissolved 129 Xe MRI signal from pulmonary capillary red blood cells can be imaged using a postacquisition reconstruction technique, providing a new means of assessing regional lung microvasculature function and disease state.