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editorial
. 2021 Aug 31;7(3):00445-2021. doi: 10.1183/23120541.00445-2021

TABLE 1.

PET, CT and MRI: summary for potential COPD biomarkers

Modality Type Me​​​​​​​asurement Potential biomarker of Radiation Cost Time
PET Functional 18F-FDG Lung FDG uptake
Large vessel FDG uptake		 Pulmonary inflammation
Risk of cardiovascular events		 +++ ++ +++
CT Structural
Insp only		 Lung density
Airway structure
Vascular pruning		 Emphysema, AECOPD risk, FEV1 decline
COPD risk, FEV1 decline
Mortality risk		 + + +
Functional
Insp/Exp		 Low density on exp
Deformation on image registration		 Small airways disease/gas trapping
Biomechanics		 ++ + +
MRI Functional
3He/129Xe		 Ventilation defect percent
Dissolved phase		 Ventilation heterogeneity
Gas exchange		 − +++ +

PET: positron emission tomography; CT: computed tomography; MRI: magnetic resonance imaging; Exp: expiratory; Insp: inspiratory; FDG: fluorodeoxyglucose; FEV1: forced expiratory volume in 1 s; AECOPD: acute exacerbation of COPD.