Author |
김범수(Bum Soo Kim),박영하(Young Ha Park),박정미(Jeong Mi Park),정명희(Myung Hee Chung),정수교(Soo Kyo Chung),신경섭(Kyung Sub Shinn),박용휘(Yong Whee Bahk), |
Abstract |
Radioaerosol inhalation imaging (RII) has been used in
radionuclide pulmonary studies for the past 20 years.
The method is well accepted for assessing regional
ventilation because of its usefulness, easy fabrication
and sirnple application system. To evaluate its
clinica1 utility in the study of irnpaired regional
ventilation in bronchial asthma, we obtained and
analysed RIIs in 31 patients (16 women and 15 men; age
ranging 21-76 years) with typical bronchial asthma at
the Department of Radiology, Kangnam St. Mary's
Hospital, Catholic University Wledical colle#ge, from
January, 1988 to August, 1989. Scintiscans were
obtained with radioaerosol produced by a HARC(Bhabha
Atomic Reserch Center, 1nc]ia) nebulizer with 15 mCi of
Tc-phytate. The scanning was performed in anterior,
posterior and lateral projections foIlowing 5-rninute
inhalation of radioaerosol on sitting position. The
scans were analyed and correlated with the results of
pulmonary function study and the findings of chest
radiography. Fifteen patients had concomitant lung
perfusio#n image with ' Tc-MAA. Follow-up scans were
obtained in 5 patients after bronchodilator therapy. 1
he patients were divided into (1) att.ack type (4
patients), (2) resistant type (5 patients), (3)
remittent type (10 patients) and (4) bronchitic type
(12 patients). Chest radiography showed hyperinflation,
altered pulmonary vascularity, thickening of the bron-
chial wall and accentuation of hasal interstiti.al
markings in 26 of the 31 patients. Chest radiographs
were normal in the remaining 5 patients. Regardless of
type, the findings of RII were basically the same, and
characterized by the deposition of radioaerosol in the
central parts or in the main respiratory air ways along
with mottled nonsegmental ventilation defects in the
periphery. Peripheral parenchymal defects were more
extensive than that of expected findings from clinical
symptoms, pulmonary function test and chest radiograph.
Rroomstick sign was present in 1.7 patients. The
abnorrnality of RII was poorly correlated with
perfusion scans. In all 5 patients treated with
bronchodilators, follow-up study demonstrated a
decrease in the degree of radioaerosol deposition in
the central air way with improved ventilation defects.
This study indicates that RII is a useful technique for
the evaluation of regional ventilation abormality and
the effect of treatrnent with bronchodilators in
patients with bronchial asthma. |