Scintigraphic appearance of albuterol-induced inhibition of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction.
Alveolar hypoxia is known to result in localized pulmonary arterial vasoconstriction. As a consequence, blood is diverted from poorly ventilated alveoli, maintaining ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) matching and thereby reducing the deleterious effects on gas exchange. An incomplete alveolar hypoxic vasoconstrictive response can be easily demonstrated by radionuclide V/Q lung scanning. A case of albuterol-induced inhibition of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction is described in a patient with steroid-dependent asthma. The utility of V/Q lung scanning as a simple, noninvasive test to detect this phenomenon in patients with primary airway disorders who deteriorate despite appropriate therapy is also briefly discussed.
Worsley
D F
DF
Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104.
Alavi
A
A
Kim
E
E
Palevsky
H I
HI
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000328:Adult; D000420:Albuterol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects*; D014692:Ventilation-Perfusion Ratio / Q000502:physiology
D000420:Albuterol