[Scintigraphic study of pulmonary blood flow in congenital heart defects with left-to-right shunts]

A scintigraphic study of the lungs in 107 patients suffering from congenital heart defects with left-to-right blood discharge has demonstrated that disorders of pulmonary flow distribution are a common finding in cases of open ductus arteriosus and interventricular septum defects. They develop due to the hemodynamic effect of shunted blood current to the pulmonary artery and intensify as pulmonary hypertension progresses. Irregular pattern of pulmonary flow affects the efficiency of gaseous exchange and determines functional severity of the disease together with pulmonary hypertension and the extent of blood discharge.