Serial reduction of ventilation in lung with congenital absence of pulmonary artery.

A 3-year-old boy with unilateral absence of the right pulmonary artery had a lung scan that demonstrated 46% of total ventilation on that side. This had fallen to 39% by 2 years later, and at 11 years after the first study the value was 30%. Ventilation lung imaging may be useful in demonstrating the degree of ventilatory dysfunction in a lung compromised by absence of the pulmonary artery. Possible causes of the pulmonary damage are discussed.