Evaluation of the Reimplanted Lung by Lung Scanning in Dogs

Eighteen dogs who survived left lung reimplantation were submitted to repeated lung scans at intervals up to six months postoperation. In five dogs the scans were normal or near normal. The reimplanted lungs in these animals appeared grossly normal and the pulmonary angiogram and microscopic appearance were also normal. The lung scans in eight dogs had diminished perfusion of the left upper lobe. In these lungs there was loss of volume of the upper lobe but the angiogram was otherwise normal. Histologic abnormalities were found in some of these upper lobes. Five dogs showed no perfusion of the left lung which emphasized that survival of the animal is not necessarily associated with function of the lung. Lung scans were helpful in evaluating the pulmonary vascular bed of reimplanted lungs and in some cases where the angiograms appeared normal abnormalities were demonstrated in lung scans. In the present study no attempt was made to compare the abnormalities of pulmonary function.