[Evaluation of external respiratory function in patients with chronic obstructive bronchitis using radionuclide...

A trial was designed to study shifts in various mechanisms of external respiration (ER) distress in chronic obstructive bronchitis by type of respiration insufficiency (RI). Combined clinicoroentgenological, spirographic, endoscopic and radionuclide (133Xe radiopneumography and 99Tc scintigraphy) examinations were conducted in 66 patients (41 males and 25 females aged 20-60 with 2-17-year history of chronic obstructive bronchitis) versus 30 healthy controls. ER parameters assessed in 4 groups of patients (with-out resting RI, with obstructive and mixed RI variants) by+radiopneugraphy and scintigraphy were found abnormal for either lung and both lungs as a whole. The abnormalities recorded correlated with RI variant. The following parameters appeared most informative in studying ER in the bronchitis patients with radionuclide techniques: the volume of ventilated alveoli, respiratory capacity, total and functional residual lung capacity, index ventilation/blood flow, capillary blood flow, time of half elimination of Xe from the alveoli and vascular bed. The above parameters change for the worse with progressive deterioration of external respiration.