On July 8, 2025, the V|LF-Spiro3D project hosted a scientific seminar titled “Validating 3D MR Spirometry in chronic pediatric and adult pulmonary diseases” at the BioMaps laboratory in Orsay, France, and online via Microsoft Teams. The event featured presentations by Ieva Aliukonyte and Cristina Cretu from the Pediatric Pulmonology and Radiology & Nuclear Medicine departments at Erasmus Medical Center.
The seminar focused on the development and validation of 3D MR spirometry—an innovative imaging technique designed to overcome the limitations of traditional spirometry. While conventional spirometry offers valuable insights into lung function, it lacks the ability to localize functional abnormalities within specific lung regions. The novel 3D MR approach aims to bridge this gap, enabling more precise monitoring and characterization of pulmonary diseases.
Two major ongoing studies at Erasmus MC were highlighted:
The ADVANCER Study is designed to validate 3D MR spirometry in children (aged 8–18) with chronic respiratory conditions such as cystic fibrosis (CF), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), and asthma. The imaging results will be benchmarked against Photon Counting CT (PCCT) and standard pulmonary function tests (PFTs), including oscillometry.
The MILD Study targets adult patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), aiming to refine MRI protocols for accurate disease phenotyping and therapy monitoring. The study integrates 3D Spiro MRI with PET-MRI, PCCT, and lung function tests to offer a comprehensive view of lung ventilation and perfusion.
Attendees were presented with image samples from both pediatric and adult patient groups, showcasing the diagnostic value and clinical potential of the technique. The seminar underscored how 3D Spiro MRI can be effectively embedded into existing pulmonary imaging workflows, offering a non-invasive, radiation-free alternative with regional sensitivity.
