SPECT-CT Comparison of Lung Deposition using a System combining a Vibrating-mesh Nebulizer with a Valved Holding Chamber and a Conventional Jet Nebulizer: a Randomized Cross-over Study.
To compare in vivo the total and regional pulmonary deposition of aerosol particles generated by a new system combining a vibrating-mesh nebulizer with a specific valved holding chamber and constant-output jet nebulizer connected to a corrugated tube.



Cross-over study comparing aerosol delivery to the lungs using two nebulizers in 6 healthy male subjects: a vibrating-mesh nebulizer combined with a valved holding chamber (Aerogen Ultra®, Aerogen Ltd., Galway, Ireland) and a jet nebulizer connected to a corrugated tube (Opti-Mist Plus Nebulizer®, ConvaTec, Bridgewater, NJ). Nebulizers were filled with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid labelled with technetium-99 m (99mTc-DTPA, 2 mCi/4 mL). Pulmonary deposition of99mTc-DTPA was measured by single-photon emission computed tomography combined with a low dose CT-scan (SPECT-CT).



Pulmonary aerosol deposition from SPECT-CT analysis was six times increased with the vibrating-mesh nebulizer as compared to the jet nebulizer (34.1 ± 6.0% versus 5.2 ± 1.1%, p < 0.001). However, aerosol penetration expressed as the three-dimensional normalized ratio of the outer and the inner regions of the lungs was similar between both nebulizers.



This study demonstrated the high superiority of the new system combining a vibrating-mesh nebulizer with a valved holding chamber to deliver nebulized particles into the lungs as comparted to a constant-output jet nebulizer with a corrugated tube.
Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Pneumologie, ORL & Dermatologie, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200, Brussels, Belgium. Jonathan.dugernier@uclouvain.be.|Soins Intensifs, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200, Brussels, Belgium. Jonathan.dugernier@uclouvain.be.|Médecine Physique, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200, Brussels, Belgium. Jonathan.dugernier@uclouvain.be.
Jonathan
J
Dugernier
Médecine Nucléaire, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
Michel
M
Hesse
Louvain Drug Research Institute (LDRI), Université Catholique de Louvain, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
Rita
R
Vanbever
Médecine Nucléaire, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
Virginie
V
Depoortere
Soins Intensifs, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
Jean
J
Roeseler
Haute Ecole de Santé Vaud, Filière physiothérapie, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland, Avenue de Beaumont 21, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Jean-Bernard
JB
Michotte
Soins Intensifs, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
Pierre-François
PF
Laterre
Médecine Nucléaire, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
François
F
Jamar
Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Pneumologie, ORL & Dermatologie, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.|Médecine Physique, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.|Pneumologie, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
Gregory
G
Reychler
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000328:Adult; D000336:Aerosols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design / Q000379:methods; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D036503:Inhalation Spacers; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers; D010316:Particle Size; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D013667:Technetium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
D000336:Aerosols; C000615519:Technetium-99; D013667:Technetium; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate
Aerosol delivery; Healthy subjects; Single photon emission computed tomography; Spacer; Vibrating-mesh nebulizer