Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lung in Cystic Fibrosis

Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide regional information about lung structural changes in cystic fibrosis (CF), albeit at lower spatial and temporal resolution than computed tomography. The lack of ionizing radiation associated with MRI may make MRI an attractive alternative to computed tomography in applications in which repeated or serial scanning is desired. Furthermore, MRI can provide functional information about the lung, which may prove to be a useful outcome measure in CF. In this article, the MRI findings of CF are described, and the newer functional magnetic resonance techniques for imaging the lung are discussed.