MRI pulmonary artery flow detects lung vascular pathology in preterms with lung disease

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Abstract
Background: Pulmonary vascular disease (PVD) affects the majority of preterm neonates with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and significantly determines long-term mortality through undetected progression into pulmonary hypertension. Our objectives were to associate characteristics of pulmonary artery (PA) flow and cardiac function with BPD-associated PVD near term using advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for improved risk stratification.Methods: Preterms i.e.increased net forward volume right/left ratio, decreased mean relative area change and pathological right end-diastolic volume, to sensitively detect BPD-associated PVD while correcting for PMA (leave-one-out area under the curve 0.88, sensitivity 0.80 and specificity 0.81). We linked these changes to increased right ventricular (RV) afterload (RV–arterial coupling (p=0.02), PA mid-systolic notching (t2; p=0.015) and cardiac index (p=1.67×10−8)) and correlated echocardiographic findings. Identified in moderate/severe BPD, we successfully applied the PA flow model in heterogeneous mild BPD cases, demonstrating strong correlation of PVD probability with indicators of BPD severity,i.e.duration of mechanical ventilation (rs=0.63, p=2.20×10−4) and oxygen supplementation (rs=0.60, p=6.00×10−4).Conclusions: Abnormalities in MRI PA flow and cardiac function exhibit significant, synergistic potential to detect BPD-associated PVD, advancing the possibilities of risk-adapted monitoring.

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