NUCLEAR SCAN OF PULMONARY HEMORRHAGE IN IDIOPATHIC PULMONARY HEMOSIDEROSIS

Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis, a disease of unknown etiology most often occurring in children, is characterized by recurring episodes of alveolar consolidation. Exacerbations of pulmonary hemorrhage coincide with episodes of alveolar filling; repeated episodes lead to progressive interstitial fibrosis and eventually to cor pulmonale. Serial nuclear scans of the lungs after injection of radiolabeled red blood cells should parallel the pathologic and radiographic findings. The authors observed the accumulation of radiolabeled red blood cells in the lungs on scan images, a finding not previously reported.