Using MRI technology, Western University researchers identified for the first time the cause of COVID’s long-term symptoms.
According to a press release published Tuesday by Western, the LIVEFREECOVID study, which is based at five centers in Ontario and led by Western Professor Grace Paraga, is the largest MRI study of patients suffering from long-term COVID.
The use of MRI technology – combined with inhaled xenon gas – has allowed researchers to see that the long-term symptoms of COVID are linked to microscopic abnormalities that affect how oxygen is exchanged from the lungs to red blood cells.
The results of the study are published in Radiology and the results reveal a potential cause of long-term symptoms of COVID.
“By understanding the cause, the team members responsible for patient care were able to direct treatment to these patients,” the press release said.
Long COVID is characterized by a feeling of brain fog, shortness of breath, fatigue and limited capacity to perform normal daily things. Symptoms may last for weeks or months after the initial infection.
“I think it’s always a mystery when someone has symptoms, but you can’t identify the problem. Because if you can’t identify the problem, you can’t identify solutions, “said Paraga, Canada’s Level 1 Department of Pulmonary Imaging for Transforming Results at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry.
By forcing study participants to inhale polarized xenon gas while inside the MRI, the researchers can see in real time the function of 300-500 million small alveolar sacs – about 1/5 of a mm in diameter – and responsible for delivering oxygen to blood.
“With our MRI technique, we can observe in real time how air moves through the alveolar membrane and passes through blood cells; and we can actually see the function of the small alveolar sacs in the lungs, “Paraga said.” What we saw on MRI was that the transition of oxygen to red blood cells was suppressed in those symptomatic patients who had COVID-19, compared to healthy volunteers.
Participants in the study with suspected prolonged COVID were hired by two London, Ont. hospitals – Emergency Care Clinic for COVID-19 at the London Center for Health Sciences (LHSC) and St. Joseph’s Health Program after acute COVID-19.
According to the report, some study participants still had symptoms after 35 weeks.
A one-year follow-up is now underway to better understand the results.
The study was conducted in collaboration with LHSC, St. Joseph’s, Lakehead University, McMaster University, Toronto Metropolitan University and Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto.
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