The total cross sections and the differential cross sections of π + - 4 He elastic and inelastic reactions at E π =120, 145 and 165 MeV have been measured using a 38 cm diffusion cloud chamber in a magnetic field exposed to the Frascati Laboratories' pion beam. Total π + track lengths of (2141 ± 10) × 10 3 cm, (3435 ± 10) × 10 3 cm and (2413 ± 10) × 10 3 cm were measured at the three considered energies, respectively. The elastic cross-section data are in good agreement with the results of the Dubna-Torino collaboration. The total inelastic cross sections have been obtained taking into account the contributions from all the inelastic channels. The analysis of the various inelastic processes has allowed us to distinguish five main reaction mechanisms, which compare reasonably with the existing data and with the models for pion-light-nuclei interactions.