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FMRI Differentiates Between The Effects of Smoking and Vaping on Lung Function

A functional MRI-based study conducted in Switzerland and published in Radiology, found that cigarette smoke inhibits pulmonary perfusion while nicotine-containing e-cigarettes actually increase blood flow in the lungs.

Diane Caruana

March 1, 2023

The tests indicated that current and past tobacco users experienced a significant decrease in lung perfusion/blood flow after smoking vs. baseline, while vapers experienced an increase.

The study titled, “MRI Shows Lung Perfusion Changes after Vaping and Smoking,” was conducted by a research team from Bern University Hospital. A total of 44 healthy adults of which 13 were vapers, 12 smokers, 9 were former smokers and 10 were non-users, were sent for an enhanced lung fMRI and functional lung tests.

The tests indicated that current and past tobacco users experienced a significant decrease in lung perfusion/blood flow after smoking vs. baseline, while interestingly, vapers experienced an increase in lung perfusion following vaping. “MRI showed a decrease of lung perfusion after exposure to tobacco smoke and an increase of lung perfusion after use of electronic nicotine delivery systems,” concluded the study.

The relationship between age of smoking and cancer risk

Meanwhile, another recent study conducted by the American Cancer Society highlighted that while quitting smoking reduces cancer risks at any age, doing so before the age of 45 nearly eliminates all risk.

Titled, “Association of Smoking Initiation and Cessation Across the Life Course and Cancer Mortality Prospective Study of 410 000 US Adults,” the study of over 400,000 Americans, found that smokers are three times more likely to die of a tobacco-related cancer than nonsmokers.

However, reported the researchers, quitting by age 45 reduces this risk by 89%, while for those who quit before they are 35, the risk is completely eliminated. On the other hand, quitting between ages 45-54 still reduces the risk by a significant 78%, while doing so between ages 55-64 cuts it by 56%.

The research team found that similarly, the age of smoking initiation also has an impact on cancer risk. People who started smoking before age 18 had at least three times the risk of dying from cancer, while those who started before age 10 had four times the risk.