Evaluation of peripheral pulmonary perfusion decrease of 99m-Tc MAA scintigraphy using SPECT/CT

We often experienced non-segmented peripheral patchy decrease (NSPPD) in 99mTc-macro-aggregated albumin (MAA) pulmonary perfusion scan using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT. Seventy cases were evaluated by 99mTc-MAA SPECT/CT. NSPPD was seen in 22 cases (31.4%), of which 17 were assessed for pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension was diagnosed in 11 cases, which consisted of 3 chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, 2 idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, 2 systemic lupus eryhthematosus and 4 left ventricular heart disease. We suggest that NSPPD may indicate the early stage of pulmonary hypertension (PH). (author)