PULMONARY DISPOSITION OF GA-67 IN HUMANS - CONCISE COMMUNICATION

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 23  (7) , 574-576
Abstract
Pulmonary 67Ga imaging for inflammatory and neoplastic diseases is an important diagnostic tool in respiratory medicine. The extent to which 67Ga is delivered to normal lungs has not been fully evaluated. The disposition of 67Ga was measured by scintiscanning, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and blood analysis in healthy subjects. Following an i.v. dose of 6 mCi 67Ga citrate, the Ga scan showed no pulmonary uptake at 48 h. In all subjects, radioactivity was detected in both blood and recovered BAL fluid at 72 h, being predominantly in the cellular component of the BAL washings. Evidently, despite negative pulmonary imaging, 67Ga accumulates in the cells that line the alveolar acini of normal nonsmoking individuals.