Perfusion lung scan: an aid in detection of lymphangitic carcinomatosis

Lymphangitic carcinomatosis is usually a late manifestation of metastatic disease. The patient usually presents with cough or dyspnea, and the chest radiograph is often nondiagnostic. Two patients are presented who developed symptoms while on adjuvant chemotherapy. Both had abnormal perfusion lung scans. One had matching ventilation defects; the other a normal ventilation study. Biopsy revealed metastatic carcinoma; in one case tumor was seen in both the pulmonary lymphatics and arterioles; in the other, tumor was identified but the site could not be specified. The radionuclide lung scan is a technique which can speed diagnosis and institution of therapy in lymphangitic carcinomatosis.