Ultrafast MR grid-tagging sequence for assessment of local mechanical properties of the lungs

While MR imaging with tagged magnetization has shown great utility in the s tudy of muscle mechanics, the evaluation of pulmonary mechanics has long be en hindered by the technical difficulties in MR imaging of lung parenchyma. In this study a fast MR grid-tagging technique is, described for dynamic a ssessment of regional pulmonary deformation. The method is based on a fast FLASH sequence with short TR and short TE. Tagging was achieved by using do uble DANTE pulse train or inversion pulses. Our results show that this tech nique is able to detect changes of the tagging grid caused by physiological deformation of the lung. Quantitative analysis of the data shows that this method is capable of assessing local pulmonary mechanics. The application of this technique could improve our understanding of ventilatory control, a nd thus provide a unique metric for assessing pulmonary disorders. Magn Res on Med 45:24-28, 2001. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.