Objectives
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, are of growing importance in Europe due to environmental factors, industrial influences, increasingly aged population and smoking habits. These diseases can be detected by conventional tests only when already very pronounced. The project has demonstrated the potentialities and the validity of a new non invasive method for the study of selected COPD, the typical end stage of which is emphysema (loss of alveolar structure, reduced ventilation due to loss of lung elasticity).

Description
The method is magnetic resonance imaging using hyperpolarized helium-3 gas inhaled in the lungs. This harmless procedure can provide information on airspace morphology (3D anatomical images of excellent resolution), distribution of ventilation (fast scans during inspiration and washout) and lung structure or function (parametric maps).
The PHIL project has coordinated the complementary efforts of 9 European research teams from 6 countries to carry out a clinical study (116 patients, 37 volunteers), to work on animal models (2 types of emphysema) and to improve the methodology (production of polarised gas, MRI techniques).

Results
The PHIL project has contributed to the validation of this new non invasive method for early diagnosis, differentiation and staging of COPD. The achieved methodological developments will favour the dissemination of the technique. The short-term perspectives are transfer to clinics and industrial exploitation (contrast agents and drug companies, MR manufacturers).
Summary of the final report
"Polarized Helium to Image the Lung", by G. Tastevin (GDR 2144, Grenoble, 2004)
"Imaging Emphysema - Helium-3 MR Imaging", by E.J.R. van Beek (IWPFI, Heidelberg, 2006)

Prospects
The PHIL Consortium has undertaken successful efforts to allow further development of hyperpolarized Helium3 MRI and dissemination of this innovative, powerful, non-invasive technique. Under the 6th Framework Program, a Marie Curie Research and Training Network called PHeLINet has been set-up (Polarized Helium Lung Imaging Network, 2007-2011).
PHELINET is designed to meet the major needs of end-users, driving increased academic cooperation and active transfer of knowledge to industry in Europe. It involves 11 academic partners from 7 countries and 6 industrial partners.
The research program is focused on cutting-edge developments and applications of hyperpolarized Helium3 MRI for clinical diagnosis and validation of lung therapies. The training program is planned to provide high level multidisciplinary scientific education and complementary skills to the 18 new researchers to be recruited.

PHeLINet job opportunities: see the PHeLINet web page or the Host Fellowships/RTN search tool

PHeLINet at a glance : low resolution poster (0.38 Mb) / high resolution poster (2.5 Mb)

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last updated on May28th, 2007 by P.J. Nacher