Late pulmonary scintigraphic defects after uneventful recovery from focal pneumonia in children: comparison with initial radiograph.
Pulmonary radionuclide studies provide reliable information on regional lung perfusion and ventilation. In children of focal pneumonia with consolidation on the chest radiographs, we determined the association between the initial pneumonia sites and the late lung ventilation-perfusion (V-P) scan abnormalities six months to one year later. Totally fifteen children, 9 males and 6 females, aged 2 to 12 years, were enrolled. All cases had normal chest radiographs in follow up, and had unremarkable respiratory symptoms or signs. Both of 99mTc MAA perfusion scintigraphy and 99mTc DTPA radioaerosol ventilation scintigraphy were performed in 12 cases while the other 3 cases had only perfusion studies. As results of these findings, there were 10 abnormal lung scans, including 9 cases at comparable areas (66%) and one at incomparable area with the initial pneumonia sites. Among those 9 comparable cases, we found 6 ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) matched defects, 2 high V/Q mismatched defects and one decreased perfusion defect. We concluded that abnormal lung V-P scans were frequently after uncomplicated pneumonia in childhood, mostly being matched defects, which may be secondary to local bronchial obstruction and decreased perfusion. However, they seem not always to correlate with the initial pneumonia sites.
Dai
Zen-Kong
ZK
Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chen
Yu-Wen
YW
Hsu
Jong-Hau
JH
Wu
Jiunn-Ren
JR
Chen
Shiu-Hung
SH
Lai
Yung-Chang
YC
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate; D014692:Ventilation-Perfusion Ratio
D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate