Aerosol Bronchography

If we ask “Why attempt developing a different bronchographic technic,” the basic answer is that many feel the present one of use of anesthesia and a liquid contrast agent is disadvantageous to a degree which severely limits its use. Conventional bronchography has not been widely used. In patients with impaired pulmonary function and in the elderly and the infirm the examination is hazardous. It remains to be seen if a wide use of bronchography would be helpful in the radiologic diagnosis and evaluation of respiratory diseases. Certainly in two important entities, carcinoma of the lung and emphysema, ordinary radiologic examination leaves much to be desired in early diagnosis. Bronchography could become valuable if a simple, safe, and easy-to-repeat technic not requiring anesthesia was available. With wider application of dynamic bronchography where evidence of bronchial abnormality is detected by cine or rapid filming studies, early bronchial infiltrative or destructive lesions could be revealed. Differences in regional ventilation and early obstructive lesions may beIt remains to be seen if a wide use of bronchography would be helpful in the radiologic diagnosis and evaluation of respiratory diseases. Certainly in two important entities, carcinoma of the lung and emphysema, ordinary radiologic examination leaves much to be desired in early diagnosis. Bronchography could become valuable if a simple, safe, and easy-to-repeat technic not requiring anesthesia was available. With wider application of dynamic bronchography where evidence of bronchial abnormality is detected by cine or rapid filming studies, early bronchial infiltrative or destructive lesions could be revealed. Differences in regional ventilation and early obstructive lesions may become visible on aerosol bronchography. This is similar to the information now being sought from inhalation radioactive scans (15). Airway collapse in bronchi as small as 2 mm in diameter early in expiration has been observed in the postmortem specimens of severe emphysema patients. Closer study of bronchial dimensions during breathing, coughing, and straining possibly could detect aspects of emphysematous disease before symptoms are far-advanced.