Esophageal dysmotility as a serendipitous observation on ventilation-perfusion imaging of the lungs

Tc-99m DTPA aerosol is often swallowed during inhalation for lung ventilation scans. The authors evaluated a 16-year-old girl with a known history of mixed collagen disorder (positive lupus anticoagulants) for symptoms of cough and acute shortness of breath. Tc-99m DTPA accumulated in the distal esophagus during aerosol inhalation and remained there at the end of the perfusion study, a period of approximately 1 hour. This serendipitous observation antedates clinical signs and symptoms of dysphagia.