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Lung permeability in adult obliterative bronchiolitis
M C Sweatman1, C F Pantin, R Lawrence
1Cardiothoracic Institute, Brompton Hospital, London, U.K.
Respiratory Medicine
|July 1, 1989
Summary
Obliterative bronchiolitis, a lung disease, shows increased clearance of 99m Tc-DTPA, indicating alveolar-capillary membrane damage. This non-invasive lung imaging study reveals subtle gas-exchanging region involvement in this condition.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Radiology
- Respiratory Physiology
Background:
- Inflammatory disorders can extend to the lung's gas-exchanging regions.
- Obliterative bronchiolitis (OB) is characterized by severe airway obstruction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To non-invasively evaluate gas-exchanging region involvement in OB.
- To assess lung clearance of 99m Tc-DTPA in OB patients.
Main Methods:
- Measured lung clearance of technetium 99m-labelled diethylene triamine penta-acetate (99m Tc-DTPA).
- Compared clearance in normal controls, cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis (CFA) patients, and OB patients.
- Assessed peripheral lung deposition patterns of 99m Tc-DTPA.
Main Results:
- Significantly increased 99m Tc-DTPA clearance in OB patients compared to normal controls (P < 0.001).
- CFA patients showed the highest clearance rates, followed by OB patients, then normal controls.
- Patchy peripheral deposition of 99m Tc-DTPA was observed in OB patients, unlike uniform deposition in controls and CFA patients.
Conclusions:
- Increased 99m Tc-DTPA clearance suggests subtle derangement of the alveolar-capillary membrane in adult OB.
- Altered ventilation patterns may contribute to patchy lung deposition in OB.
- Non-invasive 99m Tc-DTPA imaging can detect peripheral lung involvement in OB.