Quantification of regional ventilation-perfusion ratios with PET.

Abstract

Tracer kinetics analysis of PET images after an intravenous injection of (13)NN provides a quantitative assessment of regional V(A)/Q heterogeneity including that corresponding to length scales smaller than the spatial resolution of the imaging method. Quantification of V(A)/Q mismatch obtained with the presented technique is directly related to severity of gas exchange impairment as determined by arterial blood gases.