title: 99mTc-IgG-Lung Scintigraphy in the Assessment of Pulmonary Involvement in Interstitial Lung Disease and Its Comparison With Pulmonary Function Tests and High-Resolution Computed Tomography: A Preliminary Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The discrimination of inactive inflammatory processes from the active form of the disease is of great importance in the management of interstitial lung disease (ILD).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of 99mTc-IgG scan for the detection of severity of disease compared to high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and pulmonary function test (PFT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight known cases of ILD including four cases of Mustard gas (MG) intoxication and four patients with ILD of unknown cause were included in this study. A population of six patients without lung disease was considered as the control group. The patients underwent PFT and high-resolution computed tomography, followed by 99mTc-IgG scan. They were followed up for one year. 99mTc-IgG scan assessment of IgG uptake was accomplished both qualitatively (subjectively) and semiquantitatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All eight ILD patients demonstrated a strong increase in 99mTc-IgG uptake in the lungs, compared to the control patients. The 99mTc-IgG scan scores were higher in the patient group (0.64[95% confidence interval(CI)=0.61-0.69])) than the control group (0.35 (0.35[95% CI=0.28-0.40]), (P<0.05)). In patients, a statistically significant positive correlation was detected between 99mTc-IgG scan and HRCT scores (Spearman's correlation coefficient = 0.92, P < 0.008). The 99mTc-Human Immunoglobulin (HIG) scores were not significantly correlated with PFT findings (including FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC), O2 saturation and age ( P values > 0.05). There were no significant correlations between 99mTc-IgG score and HRCT patterns including ground glass opacity, reticular fibrosis and honeycombing (P value > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results confirmed that 99mTc-IgG scan could be applied to detect the severity of pulmonary involvement, which was well correlated with HRCT findings. This data also showed that the 99mTc-IgG scan might be used as a complement to HRCT in the functional evaluation of the clinical status in ILD; however, further studies are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine (Division of Pulmonary), Bushehr Medical Center Hospital, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrzad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bahtouee
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Bushehr Medical Center Hospital, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Jamshid
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saberifard
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (GRCGH), Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Javadi
authors.affiliation: The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Iraj
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nabipour
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine (Division of Pulmonary), Bushehr Medical Center Hospital, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Malakizadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine (Division of Pulmonary), Bushehr Medical Center Hospital, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Gholamhossein
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Monavvarsadegh
authors.affiliation: The Persian Gulf Nuclear Medicine Research Center, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Hoda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ilkhani Pak
authors.affiliation: The Persian Gulf Nuclear Medicine Research Center, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Azadeh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
authors.affiliation: The Persian Gulf Nuclear Medicine Research Center, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Assadi
keywords: Interstitial Lung Disease; Mustard Gas; Respiratory Function Tests; Tomography, X-Ray Computed