Asthma analysis method employing hyperpolarized gas and magnetic resonance imaging

US6338836B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Rainer Kuth · Annaberg-Buchholz, DE
• Thomas Rupprecht · Uttenreuth, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 28, 1999
• Grant date: Jan 15, 2002
• Expiry date: Sep 28, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T436/24
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

In an integrated asthma analysis and therapy determination method, a patient is administered hyperpolarized gas and an magnetic resonance (MR) scan is conducted to obtain a first MR image set, and the patient is then administered an allergen provoker and is again administered hyperpolarized gas and another MR scan is conducted, to obtain a second MR image set. This is followed by administering asthma therapeutics and again administering hyperpolarized gas to the subject, and another MR scan is conducted to obtain a third image data set. The first, second and third image data sets are compared among each other in order to determine the effect of the allergen provoker and the effect of the asthma therapeutics, in order to determine an appropriate medication dosage for the subject.