SCINTIGRAPHIC IMAGING FOR THE STUDY OF PU LMONARY-FUNCTION IN THE HORSE

Scintigraphy of the respiratory system, a technique used extensively i n human medecine, provides a direct and non-invasive measure of both t otal and regional ventilation and perfusion of each lung. This article remind you some nuclear notions and describes scintigraphical techniq ues for horses. The results of studies suggest that ventilation/perfus ion scintigraphy provides valuable additionnal informations on regiona l lung function that are not obtainable from conventional investigatio ns. The mucociliary clearance rates from the trachea can be determinat ed using scintigraphy and the different therapeutic drugs, which are c laimed to increase mucokinesis, are successively presented. Methods of radiation protection in equine nuclear medecine are described,