Direct imaging of hyperpolarized 129Xe alveolar gas uptake in a mouse model of emphysema

MRI of hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe dissolved in pulmonary tissues, and blood has the potential to offer a new tool for regional evaluation of pulmonary gas exchange and perfusion; however, the extremely short T and low magnetization density make it difficult to acquire the image. In this study, an ultrashort echo‐time sequence was introduced, and its feasibility to quantitatively assess emphysema‐like pulmonary tissue destruction by a combination of dissolved‐ and gas‐phase ¹²⁹Xe lung MRI was investigated. The ultrashort echo‐time has made it possible to acquire dissolved ¹²⁹Xe images with reasonably high spatial resolution of 0.625 × 0.625 mm² and to obtain T of 0.67 ± 0.30 ms in a spontaneously breathing mouse at 9.4 T. The regional dynamic alveolar gas uptake as well as subsequent transport by pulmonary blood flow was also visualized. The ratio of ¹²⁹Xe magnetization that diffused into the septa relative to the gas‐phase magnetization F was regionally evaluated. The mean F value of elastase‐treated mice was 2.28 ± 0.46%, which was significantly reduced from that of control mice 3.41 ± 0.48% (P = 0.0052). This reflects the reduced uptake efficiency due to alveolar tissue destruction and is correlated with the histologically derived alveolar surface‐to‐volume ratio. Magn Reson Med, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Emphysema and Other Chronic Lung Disease in Textile Workers: An 18-Year Autopsy Study

Review of 2895 consecutive autopsies from 1962 to 1980 inclusive showed no significant differences in the prevalence of emphysema or other chronic lung disease between 282 active and retired employees of a cotton textile mill and the nontextile population. There was no statistical evidence that exposure to cotton dust, even after many years, produced emphysema, interstitial fibrosis, or cor pulmonale. The prevalence of emphysema in the series was highest in white males (22.0%), followed closely by black males (18.3%). In white females it was 7.5%, in black females, 5.5%. The prevalence in subjects under age 50 yr was 4.5%; in the age group 60-64 yr, 14.6%; and in subjects 65 yr of age and older, 21.9%. A significant increase in the prevalence of emphysema occurred between the 1962 to 1969 period and the 1970 to 1980 period.     

Determination of I in I-pharmaceuticals produced in THOR

¹³¹I is one of the most important radionuclides used in nuclear medicine. The accompanying isotope ¹²⁹I with insignificant activities in ¹³¹I-pharmaceuticals, produced in THOR, were determined in terms of ¹²⁹I/¹³¹I ratio by neutron activation analysis. The detection limit of ¹²⁹I can be lowered to order of 0.1 Bq, superior to conventional radiometric methods. The ¹²⁹I/¹³¹I ratios in the ¹³¹I-pharmaceuticals, were measured to be in the range from 3.9 to 8.3.     

Phase 2 Study of the HSP-90 Inhibitor AUY922 in Previously Treated and Molecularly Defined Patients with Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

Introduction

In this phase 2 study, we evaluated the activity of AUY922 in pretreated patients with stage IV NSCLC.