title: Tc-99m erythromycin lactobionate inhalation scintigraphy in parenchymal lung diseases.
abstract: We have investigated Technetium 99m erythromycin lactobionate (Tc 99m EL) clearance from the lungs after inhalation, in the presence of an alveolitis. Eighteen patients (6 sarcoidosis, 7 idiopathic fibrosis, and 5 miliary tuberculosis) were imaged after the patients inhaled 1,110 MBq of Tc 99m EL. Clearance half time for the first 45 min, for 24 h, and retention at 24 h correlated with percentage of lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) (r = .729, r = .883, and r = .826, respectively). There was a positive correlation between peripheral penetration (PP) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) (r = .806) and forced vital capacity (FVC) (r = .781). Retention was more marked in sarcoidosis compared with tuberculosis (0.025 < p < or = 0.05). Radioaerosol lung imaging may reflect the pulmonary function impairment in parenchymal lung diseases. Retention of Tc 99m EL may be related to number of BAL cells or presence of a lymphocytic alveolitis. Long residency time of Tc 99m EL in the lungs implies that erythromycin can also be administered by inhalation for therapeutic purposes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey. hdurak@kordon.deu.edu.tr
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Durak
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aktoğu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Değirmenci
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sayit
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ertay
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dereli
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C102272:technetium Tc 99m erthyromycin lactobionate; D004917:Erythromycin