Clinical pulmonary perfusion imaging in the dog.

Scintigraphic pulmonary perfusion imaging in the dog has been described for the clinically normal animal. The usefulness of this technique in the patient with pulmonary dysfunction was assessed by review of 76 consecutive clinical cases completed in a 6-month period. This review indicated that 3 basic patterns of perfusion defects are commonly seen in the dog. These were associated with (1) diffuse parenchymal metastatic disease, (2) mediastinal metastatic disease, and (3) heartworm disease. The technique has proved reliable as an aid in the staging of neoplastic disease and of some potential value in heartworm disease and is now performed on a routine basis at this institution for purposes of clinical diagnosis.