Experimentally produced pulmonary arterial occlusion in the dog: identification with pertechnegas inhalation

Pertechnegas, a variant of technegas, is a fine, dry aerosol formed when technetium-99m pertechnetate is vaporized in a technegas generator under appropriate conditions. After inhalation, the aerosol is deposited almost entirely on the surfaces of terminal respiratory structures. Unlike technegas, however, pertechnegas crosses the alveolar-capillary membrane and leaves the lung through the pulmonary circulation. To demonstrate prolonged retention of pertechnegas in regions of lung supplied by an occluded pulmonary artery, 12 pulmonary arterial occlusions were experimentally produced in two dogs. After inhalation of pertechnegas, a transient focus of increased pulmonary radioactivity was seen in 11 occlusions; 10 of these 11 foci were easily confirmed by means of subsequent perfusion scintigraphy. All 11 foci of retained pertechnegas corresponded to the location of the non-perfused lung. Thus, it is possible to identify ischemic lung with focal retention of pertechnegas (a finding that indicates preserved ventilation but diminished perfusion) by use of a single examination.