Researchers Create Most Detailed 3-D Rendering of Mammal Lung to Date
Posted on October 8, 2012
A research team led by the University of Iowa has created the most detailed 3-D rendering of a mammal lung yet. The computerized model shows the length, direction and angles of the respiratory branches that lead to the important air sacs called alveoli. The model will help researchers learn more about respiratory diseases, such as emphysema. A paper about the project was published here in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Eric Hoffman, professor in the departments of radiology, medicine, and biomedical engineering at the UI and corresponding author on the paper, said in a release, "These methods allow us to understand where in the lung periphery disease begins and how it progresses/ How do gases and inhaled substances get there and do they accumulate in one or another acinus? How do they swirl around and clear out? We just don't have a complete understanding how that happens."
The video below shows the imaging of a section of a mouse lung. Respiratory branches (bronchioles) and three acini (yellow, green and orange clusters) can be seen as the video rotates. The blood vessels feeding the acini are then added, with the arteries in blue and the veins in red. Take a look: