Parametric Response Mapping (PRM) for the Detection of Chronic Lung Injury in Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients

This study uses an advanced imaging technique called parametric response mapping (PRM) applied to CT scans to detect chronic lung injury in children and adults who have received allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) — a stem cell transplant from a donor — and developed chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) or chronic lung disease afterward. Lung complications are a major cause of morbidity and mortality after transplant, and PRM may be able to detect subtle lung changes earlier and more accurately than standard breathing tests. Patients aged 36 months and older who received an allogeneic HCT and have developed either chronic GVHD in at least one organ within the past three months, or chronic lung disease (bronchiolitis obliterans or restrictive lung disease) diagnosed within the past 100 days, are eligible. Patients whose primary cancer has relapsed, those with active uncontrolled infections, and patients who would require intubation solely for the CT scan are excluded. Participants have PRM-analyzed CT scans alongside standard lung function tests, and the imaging findings are compared to clinical outcomes. This research matters because post-transplant lung disease is often detected late and progresses rapidly — an earlier, more sensitive detection method could prompt treatment sooner and save lives in an already vulnerable population.