Resolution rates of pulmonary embolism assesed by serial positron imaging with inhaled O-15-labeled carbon dioxide

Journal Article · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1979 · J. Nucl. Med.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6425642

Nichols, A B; Cochavi, S; Hales, C A; Beller, G A; Strauss, H W

Embolic obstruction of pulmonary blood flow results in delayed regional clearance of inhaled C/sup 15/O/sub 2/. Focally retained C/sup 15/O/sub 2/ appears as zones of increased O-15 activity on serial positron scintigrams, which show the locations of occluded pulmonary segments. Inhalation of C/sup 15/O/sub 2/, with serial imaging by a multicrystal positron camera, was used to locate and assess the magnitude of occluded pulmonary segments in eight patients with arteriographically documented pulmonary emboli. The imaging with C/sup 15/O/sub 2/ inhalation was repeated after 1 wk of i.v. heparin therapy to evaluate the ability of this technique to determine resolution rates of pulmonary emboli during anticoagulant therapy. In all patients, zones of increased C/sup 15/O/sub 2/ activity corresponded with sites of emboli identified arteriographically. After 1 wk of continuous heparin therapy, zones of focally retained C/sup 15/O/sub 2/ were totally resolved in three patients, diminished in four, and unchanged in one. The regional pulmonary clearance rate of C/sup 15/O/sub 2/ was delayed over embolized pulmonary segments in all patients (mean clearance half-time = 42.2 sec +- 11.2 s.e.m.) and improved after heparin therapy (13.9 +- 3.9 sec; p < 0.05). Serial C/sup 15/O/sub 2/ inhalation imaging is a rapid noninvasive radionuclide technique for detection of pulmonary emboli. It can be repeated at frequent intervals to assess the resolution of emboli during anticoagulant therapy.

• Research Organization: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
• OSTI ID: 6425642
• Journal Information: J. Nucl. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Nucl. Med.; (United States) Vol. 20:4; ISSN JNMEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550601* -- Medicine-- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
AMINES
ANTICOAGULANTS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-PLUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BLOOD FLOW
BLOOD VESSELS
BODY
CAMERAS
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
CHALCOGENIDES
CLEARANCE
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DRUGS
EMBOLI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXCRETION
GAMMA CAMERAS
HEPARIN
INHALATION
INTAKE
ISOTOPES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LIGHT NUCLEI
LUNG CLEARANCE
LUNGS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDES
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OXIDES
OXYGEN 15
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN ISOTOPES
PATIENTS
POLYSACCHARIDES
POSITRON CAMERAS
RADIOISOTOPE SCANNING
RADIOISOTOPES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SACCHARIDES
SCINTISCANNING
THERAPY