Xe-129 MRI lung imaging in asthma
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Hyperpolarized xenon gas MR imaging (Xe-129 MRI) of the lungs in Asthma
IRAS ID
145746
Contact name
F V Gleeson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust
Eudract number
2014-001695-56
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects an estimated 5.4 million people in the UK. Current asthma assessment tools are inadequate as they only look at overall lung function (e.g. peak flow measurements) or anatomy (e.g. computerised tomographic (CT) scanning).
Hyperpolarized xenon gas magnetic resonance imaging (Xe-129 lung MRI) is a novel, non-ionising, functional imaging technique now available in Oxford. The primary objective of this study is to develop and use Xe-129 lung MRI to evaluate regional lung function changes post salbutamol intervention in asthma.
The study group will include 24 adult patients with a physician diagnosis of asthma. The study will take place at the Churchill Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust and will be funded by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre.Participants will be offered Xe-129 lung MRI pre- and post- three inhaled subtherapeutic-doses and one therapeutic-dose of salbutamol. Baseline study measures comprise a review of disease stability, simple observations, arterial oxygen saturations (SaO2), spirometry&flow volume loops, breathlessness scores and a low-dose CT chest. Salbutamol will be administered via a nebulizer in ascending doses i.e. 25 µg, 50 µg, 100 µg and 2.5 mg separated by 1 hr 15 min intervals. Post-salbutamol intervention measures include spirometry&flow volume loops, breathlessness scores and Xe-129 lung MRI, from 25 minutes after each dose. Participation in these full tests takes a day, allowing patients time to rest between tests and allowing for a period of observation following the final hyperpolarized xenon scan.
We will compare pre- and post-intervention Xe-129 lung MRI pictures to determine the lowest subtherapeutic dose of salbutamol at which Xe-129 lung MRI detects a change in regional lung function for each participant.
Xe-129 lung MRI has the potential to provide an intermediate surrogate outcome measure for drug development and increase understanding of the pathophysiology of regional lung disease.
REC name
South Central - Berkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/SC/1407
Date of REC Opinion
24 Dec 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion