Feasibility of adopting water displacement and 3D scanning methods to quantify lung volume reduction in ex vivo models

Lung volume reduction is a treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with severe emphysema. Currently, in vivo animal models are used as a first step to quantify the efficiency of novel lung volume reduction treatments. By quantifying lung volume reduction in ex vivo samples, animal testing may be reduced. This study proposes two new methods for quantifying lung volume reduction in ex vivo tissue: water displacement and three-dimensional (3D) scanning. Porcine lung lobes were inflated and treated with cyanoacrylate glue to simulate lung volume reduction. Volume changes were measured using a custom water displacement setup and in a ventilated setting using a handheld Artec Space Spider 3D surface scanner. Both techniques detected post-treatment volume reductions. Water displacement offers a simple, cost-effective approach for isolated lung lobes, while 3D scanning enables volumetric analysis of intact lungs under ventilated conditions. These methods provide a reliable intermediate step between in vitro and in vivo testing, reducing animal use and improving preclinical assessment of novel lung volume-altering interventions.