In Xenon MRI ventilation imaging, we are able to measure where xenon goes within the lungs. Areas of the lungs that are poorly ventilated show up as dark areas in these images, and we can quantify this using a value called the ventilation defect percent. Obstructive lung diseases like cystic fibrosis and asthma are often associated with more ventilation defects.

In addition to measuring where xenon is in the lungs, we can also image how it is moving. We do this using an MRI technique called “diffusion weighted imaging”. By measuring the motion of xenon, we get an estimate of the size of airspaces in the lungs. This helps us to identify regions of airspace enlargement (“emphysema”) in the lungs.

Once xenon is in the lungs, it begins to dissolve into the tissues of the body. When it does this, it gives off distinct MRI signals. By measuring these distinct signals, we can image xenon dissolved in red blood cells (“RBCs”) and other pulmonary tissues (“Membrane”). This process is similar to how oxygen is transported from the airspaces of the lungs to the blood. Thus, we can image how well the body is performing this “gas exchange”.

At KU Medical Center, we are interested in developing efficient and fast methods for imaging xenon in the lungs. To that end, we have implemented spiral sampling techniques and other acceleration methods to enable the collection of both ventilation and gas exchange images within a single breath. This method requires only a 10 s breath-hold and generates images that are comparable to slower methods.

In addition, we are interested in automating and standardizing image analysis. To that end, our center, led by Dr. Hall, has spearheaded an effort to create a xenon analysis webpage that can be used to generate uniform analysis of images: https://xenonanalysis.com/

Dr. Peter Niedbalski 

Dr. Peter Niedbalski is a research assistant professor at KU Medical Center and directs the hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe MRI research lab. His background is in MRI and hyperpolarization physics, and his primary interests are in using novel MRI methods to understand early disease progression in a wide variety of pulmonary diseases.

Dr. Chase Hall

Dr. Chase Hall is an assistant professor at KU Medical Center and the associate director of the ILD and Rare Lung Disease Clinic. In addition to his clinical duties caring for patients with interstitial lung disease, Dr. Hall is interested in the use of imaging to better understand and treat lung disease. Dr. Hall also is an expert in quantitative analysis of images and deep learning imaging processing methods and is a driving force behind the complete automation of our image processing pipelines.

Dr. Mario Castro

Dr. Mario Castro is the Chief of the division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine at KUMC. He has extensive experience using novel imaging methods, including hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe MRI, in his translational asthma research.

Bradie Frizzell is a research assistant in the lab of Dr. Niedbalski. Bradie is in charge of day-to-day operation of the hyperpolarization system, which includes preparing hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe for all of our research studies.

The Hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe MRI research lab is supported by a team of research coordinators who help to facilitate study start-up, participant interaction, study visit completion, and data entry. This team includes:

• Vianca Williams
• Cristal Monge
• Ashley Peterson

If you are interested in joining the Hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe MRI Research Team, we are always interested in building our program. Please Contact Peter Niedbalski, pniedbalski@kumc.edu.

1. Evaluating Lung Structure and Function in Survivors of COVID-19 using Hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe MRI
2. Exercise Training in Cystic Fibrosis: Comparison of Aerobic Exercise Intensity
3. BEGIN Novel ImagING Biomarkers (BEGINNING)
4. Hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe MR Imaging of Lung Function in Healthy Volunteers and Subjects with Pulmonary Disease
5. Developing Hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe MRI Biomarkers for Evaluation of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
6. MRI for Screening and Monitoring Systemic Sclerosis Interstitial Lung Disease
7. Hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe MRI to identify structural determinants of low lung function and respiratory symptoms in young adults from the Lung Health Cohort (XeLHC)

1. A single-breath-hold protocol for hyperpolarized 129Xe ventilation and gas exchange imaging Peter J. Niedbalski, Matthew M. Willmering, Robert P. Thomen John P. Mugler III, Jiwoong Choi, Chase Hall, Mario Castro. NMR Biomed; Published Online: doi:10.1002/nbm.4923
2. Pediatric ¹²⁹Xe Gas-Transfer MRI – Feasibility and Applicability, Matthew M. Willmering, Laura L. Walkup, Peter J. Niedbalski, Hui Wang, Ziyi Wang, Erik B. Hysinger, Kasiani C. Myers, Christopher T. Towe, Bastiaan Driehuys, Zackary I. Cleveland, Jason C. Woods, Accepted to J. Magn. Reson. Imaging, February 18, 2022
3. Improving Hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe ADC mapping in pediatric and adult lungs with uncertainty propagation, Abdullah S. Bdaiwi, Peter J. Niedbalski, Md M. Hossain, Matthew M. Willmering, Laura L. Walkup, Hui Wang, Robert P. Thomen, Kai Ruppert, Jason C. Woods, Zachary I. Cleveland, NMR Biomed.35, e4639 (2022)
4. Utilizing flip angle/TR equivalence to reduce breath hold duration in hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe 1-point Dixon gas exchange imaging, Peter J. Niedbalski, Junlan Lu, Chase S. Hall, Mario Castro, John P. Mugler III, Yun M. Shim, Bastiaan Driehuys, Magn. Reson. Med. 87, 1490-1499 (2022)
5. Imaging in Asthma Management, Peter J. Niedbalski, Jiwoong Choi, Chase S. Hall, Mario Castro, Semin. Respir. Crit. Care Med. In Press. 2022. DOI: 1055/s-0042-1743289
6. Protocols for multi-site trials using hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe MRI for imaging of ventilation, alveolar-airspace size, and gas exchange: A position paper from the ¹²⁹Xe MRI clinical trials consortium, Peter J. Niedbalski, Chase S. Hall, Mario Castro, Rachel L. Eddy, Jonathan H. Rayment, Sarah Svenningsen, Grace Parraga, Brandon Zanette, Giles E. Santyr, Robert P. Thomen, Neil J. Stewart, Guilhem J. Collier, Ho-Fung Chan, Jim M. Wild, Sean B. Fain, G. Wilson Miller, Jaime F. Mata, John P. Mugler III, Bastiaan Driehuys, Matthew M. Willmering, Zackary I. Cleveland, Jason C. Woods, Magn. Reson. Med. 86, 2966-2986 (2021)
7. Preclinical MRI to quantify pulmonary disease severity and trajectories in poorly characterized mouse models: A pedagogical example using data from novel transgenic models of lung fibrosis, Ian R. Stecker, Matthew S. Freeman, Sneha Sitaraman, Chase S. Hall, Peter J. Niedbalski, Alexandra J. Hendricks, Emily P. Martin, Timothy E. Weaver, Zackary I. Cleveland, J. Magn. Reson. Open. 6-7, 100013, (2021)
8. Improved Preclinical Hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe Ventilation Imaging with Constant Flip Angle 3D Radial Golden Means Acquisition and Keyhole Reconstruction, Peter J. Niedbalski, Zackary I. Cleveland, NMR Biomed. 34, e4464 (2021)
9. Validating in vivo hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe diffusion MRI and diffusion morphometry in the mouse lung, Peter J. Niedbalski, Alexander S. Cochran, Matthew S. Freeman, Jinbang Guo, Elizabeth M. Fugate, Cory B. Davis, Jerry Dahlke, James D. Quirk, Brian M. Varisco, Jason C. Woods, Zackary I. Cleveland, Magn. Reson. Med., 85, 2160-2173 (2021)
10. Hall CS, Quirk JD, Goss CW, et al. Single-session bronchial thermoplasty guided by 129Xe magnetic resonance imaging. A pilot randomized controlled clinical trial. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2020; 202(4):524-34.
11. Niedbalski PJ, Bier EA, Wang Z, Willmering MM, Driehuys B, Cleveland ZI. Mapping cardiopulmonary dynamics within the microvasculature of the lungs using dissolved 129Xe MRI. J Appl Physiol. 2020; 129(2):218-29.
12. Niedbalski PJ, Willmering MM, Robertson SH, et al. Mapping and correcting hyperpolarized magnetization decay with radial keyhole imaging. Magn Reson Med. 2019; 82(1):367-76.
13. Willmering MM, Niedbalski PJ, Wang H, et al. Improved pulmonary 129Xe ventilation imaging via 3D-spiral UTE MRI. Magn Reson Med. 2020; 84(1):312-20.