Abstract:

The acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) constitutes a significant adverse event in the trajectory of COPD. In this study, we utilized hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe magnetic resonance (MR) to explore alterations in alveolar microstructure and pulmonary gas exchange function in an AECOPD disease model. Our findings revealed that, in comparison to the emphysema group, the microstructure remained relatively unchanged in the acute exacerbation group, while gas exchange function exhibited a decrease. Notably, these observed changes correlated well with histological findings and pulmonary function assessments, indicating the feasibility and sensitivity of hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe MR in detecting acute exacerbations of COPD.

Key words: Hyperpolarized 129Xe MR, DWI, CSSR, COPD, Emphysema, Acute Exacerbation