OBJECTIVE Pulmonary perfusion heterogeneity (PPH) in pulmonary emphysema (PE) was semi-quantified by functional lung volume rate (FLVR) curves obtained from respiratory-gated inspiratory and expiratory single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). METHODS::METHODS:: Gated and ungated SPECT were obtained in 36 PE patients [25 with stage IIA and 11 with stage IIB for global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD) stage classification] ... Read more

ABSTRACT PURPOSE: To characterize regional ventilation impairment of pulmonary emphysema using dynamic 133Xe single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) functional images, compared with other forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: Dynamic 133Xe SPECT was performed in 34 patients with emphysema and 15 patients with other forms of COPD. Three-dimensional voxel-based functional images of the half-clearance time (T1/2) mainly ... Read more