0897. Mechanisms of pulmonary inflation during lung injury assessed by synchrotron radiation computed tomography

The process of lung inflation during mechanical ventilation is characterized by phenomena of alveolar recruitment and distension but regional interaction and temporal sequence are not known for the core areas of the lung. The only information available are referred to subpleural alveoli, studied by microscopy. Relevance of this issue derives from the notion that 1) radiologic studies reveal that air spaces behavior in the core regions of the parenchyma is very complex 2) unsuited patterns of mechanical ventilation (MV) can trigger a Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury (VILI). Synchrotron Radiation Computed Tomography (SRCT) yields tomographic images at resolutions higher than conventional CT.