[Scintigraphic studies of pulmonary ventilation]

Nuclear medical imaging of the lung after inhalation of Tc-labelled aerosols can be used instead of ventilation scintigraphy with Xe-133 in those cases, where the single-breath-period is essential for diagnosis. Especially for pulmonary embolism aerosols have some advantages compared with Xe-133: Scintigraphic images can be done in several views, aerosols are always available, there is no problem with room-contamination. In patients with obstructive lung disease or emphysema, where the wash-out-period is more essential for diagnosis than the single-breath-period, there is an advantage of xenon to aerosols. Additionally aerosols can be used to study mucociliary function.