Gallium-67 lung scintigraphy in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)

Fifteen 67Ga lung scans were obtained from 11 men with AIDS to detect opportunistic lung infection. Results were compared with clinical findings, chest radiographs, CO-transfer and transbronchial biopsies or BAL. Clinical symptoms were least helpful in diagnosing pneumonia. Chest radiographs were normal in six of eight normal 67Ga studies and abnormal in four of seven abnormal scans. In four cases the X-ray showed equivocal abnormalities, twice corresponding to a normal and twice to an abnormal scan. Once the X-ray was normal, but the scan showed diffuse abnormalities. CO-transfer in patients with a normal scan was higher (55-68%) than in patients with an abnormal scan (22-44%). Biopsy or BAL revealed P. carinii in five of six patients. Cytomegalo-virus was isolated once. All six patients had abnormal 67Ga scans. 67Ga lung scintigraphy is a sensitive indicator of active lung disease in AIDS, especially when chest X-rays are normal or equivocal.