[Lung scintigraphy after tumor therapy in childhood]

Cytostatics- and radiation-induced alterations of the lung were investigated in 18 children after tumour-therapy by means of lung perfusion scintigraphy. 13 patients (Hodgkin- and non Hodgkin lymphoma, acute lymphocytic leukemia with mediastinal tumour, Ewing-sarcoma, and intrathoracal neuroblastoma) received epidiaphragmatical radiation and cytostatics. All 32 lung-scintigrams of these children 1-23 months after cessation of therapy were pathological. 5 patients (acute lymphocytic leukemia, Histiocytosis X) received cytostatics only. 1-6 months after cessation of therapy in these children 6 lung-scintigrams were pathological, one was normal. After cessation of tumour-treatment scintigraphical improvement of disturbed perfusion occurred in 9/18 patients only. In 6 children a deterioration of lung-perfusion was registered. Lung-scintigraphy is a method for testing pulmonary perfusion in diagnosis and therapy control in childhood malignancies. The results of this study indicate that prophylactic provisions against pulmonary damage during oncologic therapy are necessary.