Advances in Pulmonary Functional Imaging Research Accomplishments

Major accomplishments: (i) Producing the world’s first human MRI scans of gas exchange in humans in 2007 with hyperpolarized 1²⁹Xe; (ii) development of an open-source ¹²⁹Xe laser polarizer; (iii) development of a hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe septal uptake method and analytical model to allow measurement of alveolar surface area per unit volume, septal thickness, and capillary transit time; (iv) development of a prototype portable NMR system that has successfully measured changes in lung density in a healthy subject; (v) demonstration that the DCE microcirculation model parameters can differentiate among different types of mesothelioma.

In 2009, hosted 4^th International Workshop on Pulmonary Functional Imaging and in 2013, Dr. Patz received recognition as a Distinguished Investigator by the Academy of Radiology Research. Since 1998, Dr. Patz has received support from 17 different grants. Dr. Gill has received support from 12 different grants.