Utility of the optical flow method for motion tracking in the lung

Introduction: MRI spirometry is technique that has been demonstrated to non-invasively measure pulmonary function on a regional basis [1]. Using real-time imaging of the lung during forced breathing maneuvers, this method is able to calculate regional physiologic measures, such as FVC, FEV1, and the time constant τ. Relevant for assessing heterogeneous pulmonary disorders, this technique has shown the ability to examine lung function with a resolution currently unavailable from commonly used non-invasive procedures. MRI spirometry utilizes the ability to track the motion of the lung parenchyma using the pulmonary vasculature as fiduciary markers. Overall, thi