Impaired Lung Epithelial Permeability in Diabetics Detected by Technetium-99m-DTPA Aerosol Scintigraphy

acid (DTPA) aerosolfromthe lungsis used as an indexof lung epfthelialpermeability. We investigatedthe invcivementof the lungind@bebc patients using @rc-DTPA aerosol SCIntigraphy. Methods:A totalof 33diabetic patients werestudied. Thirteen had comA§@ations such as retinopathy and/ornephropathy (Group A)and20werewfthout corn@ations (Group B).Asa controlgroup,20 healthynonsmokers wereStudied. DynamiC scintigrams (2miMrame, upto 30mm)wereobtained following inhalation of @Fc-DTPA througha rerlloaerosd dal@very sys tern.lime-acdvfty curveswereobtained andhalf-time (T@,2) of DTPAwasmeasured fromthecurves. Results: Themean T1,@ values(mm± s.d.)werecalculated to be133.05 ± 46.97,93.67 ±21.23, 9197 ±1821 (Group A, Group B and Controls, re spectivaly).The meanT1@of GroupA was significantlylonger thancontrols(p 0.05).ConclusIon:Thelungis a targetorganin diabetes and lunginvolvement isclosely related toothervascular complica tions.Thepresence oflungInvolvement canbereadily detected by @Tc-DTPA aerosolsantigraphy.