[Radionuclide studies of the early stage of chronic interstitial pneumonitis]

Radionuclide studies for the interstitial lung disease were surveyed in this article. On the ventilation-perfusion study, high V/Q mismatches are seen in advanced stage. A bolus inhalation method of small amount of Kr-81 m gas is useful to detect the impairment of thoraco-pulmonary compliance in the early stage of chronic interstitial pneumonitis (CIP). Ga-67 scintigraphy is indispensable for early detection and assessing the activity of CIP. During the last few years, the assessment of epithelial permeability using Tc-99m-DTPA is performed to evaluate morphological damage of pulmonary parenchyma in interstitial pulmonary diseases. Clinical significance of I-123-IMP scintigraphy was also surveyed.