SPET of a computerised model of diffuse lung disease

Emphysema is a common and debilitating disease that is the commonest cause of end-stage respiratory failure. Treatment is either by lung transplantati on or by lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) that improves the biomechanic s of respiration. Patient selection for LVRS hinges on the demonstration of heterogeneous disease, predominantly involving the upper lobes, as a good surgical outcome is most likely in these patients. We used a virtual model of lung scintigraphy to compare planar with tomographic scintigraphy for th e detection of diffuse lung disease. Lesions of the magnitude of the lung a cinus, as well as larger and smaller lesions, were distributed throughout t he lungs in volumes from 2% to 50%. Single-photon emission tomography does not add incremental value to planar images for the detection of diffuse lun g disease.