Perfluorocarbon Compound Aerosols for Delivery to the Lung as Potential 19F Magnetic Resonance Reporters of Regional Pulmonary pO2

Abstract

Perfluorocarbon aerosols of controlled size distribution can be produced at sufficient concentration with pneumatic generators for distribution to the terminal pulmonary architecture and visualization using 19F MR imaging. The potential exists for in vivo oxygen-sensitive imaging in the pulmonary system and development of sophisticated experimental animal models of systemic oxygen transport as a function of pulmonary status.