The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs in the lungs where oxygen is delivered to the pulmonary arteries via the alveoli. The location and condition of the arteries is an important factor that determines the partial oxygen pressure in the blood gases. Destruction of pulmonary blood vessels, like in COPD, often causes a reduction in the arterial oxygen concentration with a decline in the patient’s condition as a result. By identifying the lobar concentration of blood vessels and the lobar air flow distribution, it is possible to assess the ventilation-perfusion ratio based on the images. Also the changes in this ratio induced by, for instance, mechanical ventilation can be analyzed and quantified.
Visualisation of the pulmonary arterial network
Visualisation of the pulmonary arterial network
Reference
Longterm effects of non-invasive ventilation in hypercapnic COPD
L. De Backer, W. Vos, J. De Backer, D. Daems, R. Claes, P. Germonpre, W. De Backer (Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium)
ERS 2010, session 367