New MRI technique peers inside lungs of COPD patients after valve procedure

This study used a special type of MRI (called hyperpolarized xenon-129 MRI) to take detailed pictures of lung function in 27 people with COPD who were scheduled to receive endobronchial valve therapy as part of their normal care. The goal was to see how the lungs work before and after the valve procedure, not to test a new treatment. The study was terminated early, but the information gathered may help doctors better understand how the disease progresses and how the valves affect breathing.