CHICAGO — Optimized low-field magnetic resonance imaging has the potential to replace plain chest radiographs in the assessment of lung disease in children, according to results of a poster study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.
“The goal is to reduce radiation exposure for these very young patients—many with cystic fibrosis—while visualizing pathologies such as pneumonia and atelectasis,” Dr. Joachim Bernhardt, lead author, said in an interview. “We achieved that goal in about half of the 12 children involved in our study.”
A total of 48 examinations were conducted in nine boys and three girls, mean age 4 years, with pathologic lung alterations using a Magnetom open 0.2-tesla scanner (Siemens, Germany). Images were acquired with interleaved multislice 2-D and 3-D gradient echo sequences in combination with standard steady state MRI, said Dr. Bernhardt of the University of Würzburg (Germany).
Imaging allowed localization of presented pathologies and resulted in a modification of the therapeutic regimen in 5 of 12 patients.
In addition, the researchers were able to dispense with bronchoscopy in 5 of 12 patients, and antibiotic therapy was changed in 4 of those 5 children because MR images could differentiate between atelectasis and pneumonia, said Dr. Maynard Beer, senior investigator, who outlined the distinct advantages of low-field MRI.
“For example, image artifacts are reduced when field strength is reduced, so we get more reliable images,” Dr. Beer, also of the University of Würzburg, said in an interview.
Because the images are acquired so quickly and the open machine allows a parent to sit next to the child in full view, sedation is unnecessary, Dr. Beer said, adding that even when the baby or child is crying and moving, image integration produces good clinical results.
The use of the MRI influenced clinical therapy in nearly half of this small group of patients, the investigators concluded.
Neither physician had conflicts of interest to disclose.