COLUMBIA, Mo. (KY3) – A new form of diagnostic imaging is changing the way doctors see and treat lung conditions such as cystic fibrosis.

For as long as her grandmother, Tina Wood, can remember, the loud noise and chest spasms would interrupt Hanna’s sleep. She was diagnosed with asthma at the age of five and contracted pneumonia and bronchitis several times.

None of that stopped Hannah, who turned 12 in 2024, from smiling, finding joy in spending time at the lake in the summer, or playing softball in the fall and spring. But it was clear to Hannah and Tina that something was wrong.

In search of answers, they went to allergy specialists and tried allergy shots. Hannah had her tonsils and adenoids removed, hoping that would help. Tina even completely redecorated her home in Pleasant Hope, Missouri, outside of Springfield.

“We thought she might have been allergic to something in the carpets,” Tina said. “We tore out all the carpet, all the rugs, everything and replaced it with hardwood floors. We changed all our bedding, repainted, tried everything we could to fix the problem.”

But Hannah’s cough persisted as she walked through the gymnasium. She began seeing a pediatric pulmonologist in Springfield, who diagnosed her with a chronic lung condition called bronchiectasis. Hannah’s airways were thicker than normal due to the extra mucus making infections more common.

Rebekah Nevel, MD

She was referred to MU Health Care Specialized center for childrenwhere testing from the cystic fibrosis team, including Rebekah Nevel, MDconfirmed that Hannah has cystic fibrosis.

“It sounds strange, but we were grateful to hear a response,” Tina said. “We were so thankful that we finally had a plan in place and were moving in a direction to bring Hannah some health and healing.”

Cystic fibrosis or CFis a genetic condition that affects the body’s ability to regulate chloride salt in cells. Salt channels are how the body changes the amount of water in the cells.

Less water means thicker, stickier mucus, which causes damage to lung tissue and increases the likelihood of respiratory infections. CF can also lead to liver, gastrointestinal, pancreas and endocrine problems.

“Cystic fibrosis requires a team to take care of it,” Nevel said. “As one of four CF centers in Missouri, we have everything in place to help pediatric patients like Hannah and adult patients prevent the progression of lung disease and live life to the fullest.”

Cystic Fibrosis Centers are accredited by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and recommend treatment based on the latest guidelines. Hannah’s team includes physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, a respiratory therapist, dietitians, and other members of the care team who help manage her complex condition.

Hannah’s care team monitors her during a xenon gas lung MRI at the NextGen Precision Health building in Columbia.

But Dr. Nevel, and everyone else involved in Hannah’s care, have access to something that most CF centers don’t. Just steps from her clinic, Dr. Nevel can enter the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building to get the clearest possible images of her patients’ lung function using an MRI machine and xenon gas.

Talissa Altes, MD

Before this technology was developed by MU Health Care and School of Medicine researchers and radiologists Talissa Altes, MDand Robby Thomson, Ph.Dpulmonologists have been unable to use MRI to see a diagnostic picture of lung function, relying on useful but imperfect tools such as CT scans, spirometry, and plethysmography.

“When I see Hannah’s pulmonary obstruction on spirometry, all I can say is there’s an obstruction,” Nevel said. “I don’t see where or what is affected. Xenon MRI shows us an image of it. It also tells us which areas that might seem less affected are having difficulty with gas exchange.”

Research by Altes and Thomen showed that hyperpolarizing xenon aligned its atomic particles to allow them to appear in NMR scans.

This FDA-cleared clinical scan can show doctors at MU Health Care how healthy a person’s lung tissue is and how efficiently oxygen and carbon dioxide are being exchanged in the lungs. Hannah was one of the first patients at MU Health Care to receive a xenon MRI scan for clinical care.

“Hannah’s results helped Dr. Nevel suggest some medications that would help Hannah’s treatment because she could see more clearly what was going on in her lungs,” Tina said.

For Hannah, all it takes is a few regular breaths. She inhales the unreactive xenon, which is prepared seconds before, and holds her breath for about 20 seconds while the MRI machine runs. After a few minutes, she takes an inhaled medicine, and then a few minutes later gets another MRI to check the effectiveness of that treatment.

On the other side of the glass, her doctors have immediate and detailed feedback on the health of her lungs.

“For someone like Hannah, who was not diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was born, the benefit of xenon MRI is huge,” Nevel said. “That detailed assessment allowed us to adjust his treatments with confidence.”

At home, Hanna’s routine to get ready for school has lots of steps. She takes inhaled medications, including albuterol, hypertonic saline, and other nebulized treatments, such as inhaled antibiotics, and uses a vibrating vest that manually loosens mucus in the airways.

“He needs to get up a little earlier,” Tina said. “It takes about an hour, but doing all these things means he has a normal school day. He doesn’t cough as much and can breathe normally during PE.”

Hannah and her family made several trips to Colombia for xenon MRI scans. But most of her ongoing cystic fibrosis care takes place at MU Health Care’s Cystic Fibrosis Outreach Clinic in Springfield, much closer to home.

“Our patients and their families really appreciate the outreach clinic,” Nevel said. “It is a burden to drive long distances for regular visits. Hannah and her family come to Columbia for a larger annual meeting, but they have access to a clinic that is much closer to their follow-up care.”

For Hannah and the Woods, that means more time together at softball games cheering on their star left fielder. It means more time to enjoy the sun and water at the lake, tubing and swimming with confidence.

“On our first visit, everyone was so nice and kind that we knew MU Health Care was the right place for Hannah,” said Tina. “I can’t describe the change I’ve seen in her since she started treatment. Everyone sleeps better because she coughs less. And all the doctors and everyone here remain optimistic for her. That helped us understand her diagnosis, but also just look at the positive things that are happening for her.”

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