Functional images of lung 99Tcm-DTPA aerosol transfer in smokers and nonsmokers.

The large amount of information from dynamic 99Tcm-DTPA lung can be simplified and rendered easily interpretable by the use of functional images. Eight such images have been devised: a maximum count image, a minimum count image, a time of maximum count image, a time of minimum count image, percentage maximum change image, a T50 image, a standard error image and a correlation coefficient image. These images enable the distribution of aerosol after inhalation, the reliability of the calculated T50 value and movement artefacts to be easily identified. They also allow rapid assessment of the distribution of T50 values in the lungs which may be particularly useful in segmental lung disease.