Radionuclide assessment of the effects of chest physical therapy on ventilation in cystic fibrosis.

This study assesses the use of krypton 81m scintigraphy as a measurement tool in evaluating the effectiveness of bronchial drainage with percussion and vibration on peripheral ventilation in patients with cystic fibrosis. Ten patients with cystic fibrosis participated. Each patient underwent a krypton 81m ventilation study and traditional pulmonary function tests. Forty-five minutes later, these studies were repeated before and after a chest physical therapy treatment. Each patient acted as his own control. All krypton 81m scintiscans were recorded and analyzed visually and numerically using a digital computer to assess distribution of ventilation. Visual analysis of the scintiscans indicated individual variation in treatment response: in some patients ventilation improved with therapy; in others, no change was noted; still others had changes independent of treatment. Numerical data derived from the scintiscans and pulmonary function tests showed no important differences among the three studies of each patient. Airway abnormalities characteristic of cystic fibrosis, progression of the disease, sputum production, or a combination of these factors may account for the individual variation in response to treatment. Krypton 81m scintigraphy is a reliable measure of regional ventilation and should be useful for assessing the efficacy of chest physical therapy because of the consistent, high quality visual data retrieved.