TY - JOUR T1 - X-ray Darkfield Chest Radiography: Correlation of First Results from COPD-Patients with Lung Function Tests JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2020.2087 VL - 56 IS - suppl 64 SP - 2087 AU - Gregor S. Zimmermann AU - Alexander A. Fingerle AU - Konstantin Willer AU - Wolfgang Noichl AU - Rafael Schick AU - Theresa Urban AU - Manuela Frank AU - Andreas P. Sauter AU - Bernhard Haller AU - Thomas Koehler AU - Jens Von Berg AU - Klaus Jürgen Engel AU - Daniela Pfeiffer AU - Julia Herzen AU - Ernst Rummeny AU - Franz Pfeiffer Y1 - 2020/09/07 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/56/suppl_64/2087.abstract N2 - Introduction: Chest X-rays are of limited use as a screening tool for emphysema. Grating-based X-ray dark-field (XDF) imaging may provide a potential solution by indirectly visualizing the microstructure of the lung. In a first patient study, we are investigating the use of XDF imaging for the detection of COPD. Here, we report on the correlation of dark-field signal strength to results from lung function tests.Methods and Materials: In this ongoing prospective clinical study 54 of 500 adult study participants (250 patients with COPD and 250 patients without lung diseases) have been included (17 females, mean age 61±11 years; 37 males, mean age 67±12 years). Dark-field chest X-rays are acquired using a grating-based prototype imaging setup operating at 70 kVp in a scanning mode. As a reference, conventional chest X-rays, CT-scans, whole-body plethysmography and a COPD assessment test are performed. Visual assessment of XDF strength using a 6-point ordinal scale was performed by three independent readers and XDF signal strength was quantitatively evaluated. The results were correlated with findings of lung function tests.Results: Both objective and subjective XDF strength showed a significant correlation with the Tiffeneau-Pinelli index (FEV1/FVC), and with FEV1 as percent of predicted.Conclusion: XDF signal strength may serve as a diagnostic marker of pulmonary function in COPD by visualizing structural changes of the lung parenchyma. As a novel imaging modality, XDF radiography has the potential to facilitate early diagnosis of COPD, while requiring less patient cooperation than spirometry at a much lower radiation exposure than CT scans.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2020; 56: Suppl. 64, 2087.This abstract was presented at the 2020 ERS International Congress, in session “Respiratory viruses in the "pre COVID-19" era”.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only). ER -