Scintigraphic perfusion patterns in patients with diffuse lung disease

Perfusion scintigrams of 55 patients with radiographic evidence of diffuse lung disease were reviewed. Thirty-nine had acute and/or chronic changes caused by congestive heart failure, and 16 had diffuse reticulonodular disease. A normal or near-normal perfusion pattern was seen in 40/55 (73%), and this finding was equally common in the two groups. The authors conclude that perfusion scintigraphy is useful in excluding pulmonary embolism in patients with radiographic evidence of diffuse, symmetrical lung disease.