The goal of our research group is to develop research and clinical techniques capable of diagnosing a variety of pulmonary and metabolic disorders in their earliest stages, and of evaluating the lung's response to therapy. These techniques include quantification of ventilation, perfusion (blood flow), blood/air gas exchange, inflammation, and other physiological markers of lung function using hyperpolarized 3He MRI; as well as noninvasive techniques to measure and visualize perfusion and metabolism in healthy and diseased organs using hyperpolarized 13C MRI." Our ultimate aims are better identification of structural and functional changes to the organ, a more complete understanding of disease pathogenesis, and a more sensitive testing environment in which to develop treatments for a widespread, devastating and largely untreatable class of pulmonary diseases.
