Hyperpolarized 3He and 129Xe MR Imaging in Healthy Volunteers and Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

There was a strong correlation between xenon 129 (129Xe) and helium 3 (3He) apparent diffusion coefficients in healthy volunteers and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but significant differences in 129Xe and 3He gas distribution in COPD, reflecting differences in the gases as well as physiologic and/or anatomic abnormalities in COPD not seen in healthy volunteers.