American researchers provide first the imaging evidence that the lungs can be damaged if exposed to passive smoking.

It is not healthy to smoke into the lungs, but just how harmful passive smoking is, experts do not completely agree. For the first time, a group of scientists has presented the image, showing that non-smokers can get lung damage to stay in rooms where people smoke.

The pictures were recently presented at the annual meeting of The Radiological Society of North America and comes from a study by doctors from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Virginia has implemented. Learn about quit smoking with Chantrix here.

"The images show clear lung injury to a third of those who have been most exposed to passive smoking," notes the researchers at Children's Hospital.
Yellow and red boxes

The pictures show the lungs to (a) a person who, to a lesser degree have been exposed to passive smoking, (b) a person who has been exposed to very passive smoking and (c) an active smoker. The red boxes show fresh lung tissue, the yellow areas indicate damaged lung tissue.

A total of 60 individuals ranging in age from 41 to 79 years. 45 of them had never smoked but had varying degrees been exposed to others' smoke. The persons who were classified as most vulnerable to passive smoking was as a rule, grew up in homes where there was smoke, writes forskning.no.

Before the study, participants were asked to inhale a special mixture of helium and nitrogen. Scientists had found a special isotope of helium, which are clearly visible by MRI. The scanner that was used to detect motion, and the intention was to see how the gas mixture was included in the participants' lungs.
Early signs of lung damage

It appeared that the gas mixture in the most exposed to passive smoking, and smokers moved over a greater distance down the lung. Researchers thought that because Creasing and abnormal enlarged distance between the small lung blistering in the lungs.

"These are early signs of lung injury. It is a mild form of lung emphysema," says Wang Chengbo at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, who conducted the study.
Can also lead to chronic bronchitis

Lung emphysema is a known lung disease and also cause of death in active smokers.

"This could indicate that they have been subjected to massive passive smoking have been more tight airways. It can also look like that passive smoking in some cases leads to chronic bronchitis, although this should be explored further," notes Wang.

Around 35 per cent. of children in the U.S. grow up in homes where one or both parents smoke. Researchers hope that the new imaging evidence will raise awareness about the harmful effects of passive smoking.