Noninvasive mapping of regional response to segmental allergen challenge using magnetic resonance imaging and [F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography.

Magnetic resonance (MR) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging techniques were coregistered to demonstrate regional ventilation and inflammation in the lung for in vivo, noninvasive evaluation of regional lung function associated with allergic inflammation. Four Brown Norway rats were imaged pre- and post segmental allergen challenge using respiratory-gated He-3 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to visualize ventilation, T(1)-weighted proton MRI to depict inflammatory infiltrate, and F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose-PET to detect regional glucose metabolism by inflammatory cells. Segmental allergen challenges were delivered and the pre- and postchallenge lung as well as the contralateral lung were compared. Coregistration of the imaging results demonstrated that regions of ventilation defects, inflammatory infiltrate, and increased glucose metabolism correlated well with the site of allergen challenge delivery and inflammatory cell recruitment, as confirmed by histology. This method demonstrates that fusion of functional and anatomic PET and MRI image data may be useful to elucidate the functional correlates of inflammatory processes in the lungs.