Characterizing respiratory dysfunction in Duchenne muscular dystrophy using phase‐resolved functional lung (PREFUL) MRI

Motivation: In the setting of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), there is an urgent need for a sensitive technology for pulmonary function. Goal(s): Our goal was to determine if PREFUL MRI could detect functional changes in children with DMD. Approach: 41 patients with DMD and 15 healthy controls underwent PREFUL MRI. For DMD patients, pulmonary function tests were evaluated on the same day. Results: We found ventilation defect percentage (VDP) was significantly higher in DMD with normal respiratory function compared with the healthy controls. Impact: Our demonstration of a detectable decline in VDP suggests that PREFUL MRI might represent a new noninvasive tool for the functional assessment of lung even in the early phase of respiratory compromise in children with DMD.