[Experimental and clinical evaluation of 99mTc-HMPAO as a sensitive marker for chemical lung injury].

To investigate whether 99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (99mTc-HMPAO) can be a sensitive marker of lung injury, an animal model of lung injury was designed in the rabbits using the injection of a low dose (0.05 ml/kg) of oleic acid. In the injured rabbit lungs, electron microscope revealed morphologic changes localized in the microvascular endothelium (edematous change), although their chest radiographies and light microscope did not show any significant changes compared to the controls. In these situations, 99mTc-HMPAO showed a diffusely, high pulmonary uptake, which occurred rapidly within the first 1 min after the injection. Clinically, the lungs in the patients who had been administered with cytotoxic anti-cancer drugs showed a significantly higher 99mTc-HMPAO uptake compared to the controls. These findings indicate that 99mTc-HMPAO may have potential as a sensitive marker of chemical lung injury.