Abstract
The relationship between the intensity of Gallium-67 scintigraphy, lymphocyte counts in bronchoalveolar lavage and pathologic changes was studied in 18 patients with untreated pulmonary sarcoidosis.
1. Noncaseating granulomas were recognized with significantly greater frequency in radiographic stage II (100 percent, 6/6 cases) than in stage I (36 percent, 4/11 cases). Alveolitis showed little relation to the radiographic stage.
2. There was strong correlation between the intensity of Gallium-67 accumulation in the lung parenchyma and the incidence of noncaseating granulomas. However, alveolitis was not statistically significant.
3. A highly significant correlation was revealed between the counts of lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage and alveolitis in sarcoid patients. In contrast, no relationship existed between the lymphocytic counts in bronchoalveolar lavage and intensity of the Gallium-67 accumulation.
4. These observation suggest that the Gallium-67 scintigraphy probably reflects the noncaseating granulomas and the lymphocytic counts in bronchoalveolar lavage reflect the alveolitis in pulmonary sarcoidosis.
