1979 Volume 28 Issue 9 Pages 562-567
A routine examination of pulmonary hilar and mediastinal lymphoscintigraphy is tried in this study in order to visualize pulmonary hilar and mediastinal lymphnodes routinely.
A method is as follows; 30-50μCi of 198Au-colloid (0.3-0.5 ml of total volume) is injected through the needle of flexible bronchofiberscope into the mucosal membrane or submucosal membrane of the bilateral B8 or B9bronchi.
This method was applied to 11 cases of suspected pulmonary carcinoma and gave good results.
In case of bronchitis, lung abscess and chronic pneumonia, carinal lymphnodes (which are expected to be as the inferior tracheo-bronchial lymphnodes) and one or more right mediastinal lymphnodes (which are expected to be as the right superior tracheo-bronchial or right paratra-cheal lymphnodes) were clearly visualized from 24 to 72 hours after the injection. In these cases the pulmonary hilar and mediastinal lymphnodes were expected to be intact on X-rays and CT findings.
Among cases of pulmonary carcinoma or lymphangitis carcinomatosa, on the contrary, right mediastinal lymphnodes were not visualized in case with the right hilar lymphnodes involvement, and furthermore neither carinal nor right mediastinal lymphnodes were visualized in case with carinal lymphnodes involvements on X-rays, CT, operation or autopsy findings. From these results, the pulmonary hilar and mediastinal lymphoscintigraphy may give the useful information for the treatment planning, and follow up study of the cases of pulmonary and mediastinal malignant tumors.