Chest radionuclide angiography in the evaluation of pulmonary masses

A retrospective analysis of 104 chest radionuclide angiography (CRNA) studies establishes the utility of this procedure in the evaluation of pulmonary malignancies and benign masses. Remarkable abnormalities in the perfusion of the lungs were identified in 36 (58%) of 62 cases that were not predictably normal or predictably abnormal form the clinical setting. While 60 of these 62 cases involved malignancy being evaluated for metastases, only 21 (34%) had metastases identified by radionuclide bone or liver-spleen scintigraphy. In addition to diagnosis of superior vena cava obstruction, the CRNA may have a more frequent application as an adjunct to routine scintigraphic studies directed to the identification of metastatic disease.