Gallium-67 Scintigraphy, Bronchoalveolar Lavage, and Pathologic Changes in Patients with Pulmonary Sarcoidosis

Hydrogen peroxide release by alveolar macrophages from sarcoid patients and by alveolar macrophages from normals after exposure to recombinant interferons alpha A, beta, and gamma and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3.

“…The significance of a positive 67Ga scan is also unclear. Although some investigators have postulated that O'Ga in the lung of sarcoid patients is taken up by activated macrophages (39,40), others have suggested that it is taken up by activated lymphocytes (41,42). Similarly it is disputed whether there exists a correlation between the T cell alveolitis of sarcoid and 67Ga scan positivity (40,42,43).…”

“…Although some investigators have postulated that O'Ga in the lung of sarcoid patients is taken up by activated macrophages (39,40), others have suggested that it is taken up by activated lymphocytes (41,42). Similarly it is disputed whether there exists a correlation between the T cell alveolitis of sarcoid and 67Ga scan positivity (40,42,43). Since 67Ga scan positivity can be seen in diseases such as interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, where there is neither a T cell alveolitis nor granuloma formation, it is difficult to postulate that this finding reflects a specific immunologic abnormality found in this disease.…”

Pathological diagnosis of granulomatous lung disease: a review

“…Pathologically, sarcoidosis is characterized by well‐formed, compact, non‐necrotizing granulomas that are confined to the interstitium and do not involve airspaces (Figure 11). 92–97 They are typically distributed along lymphatic pathways in the pleura, interlobular septa and bronchovascular bundles. They may be surrounded by a thin rim of chronic inflammation, but inflammation does not extend into adjacent interstitium.…”

Pulmonary Sarcoidosis: Pathogenesis, Staging and Therapy

“…The tests known to be specific for the inflamma tion include gallium-67 scanning and bronchoalveolar lavage [21,71,72,74], Angiotensin-converting en zyme, a product of endothelial cells and mononuclear phagocytes, has been recommended for use in staging the activity of the disease, but it does not appear that the level of angiotensin-converting enzyme found in plasma always reflects the extent of the inflammatory process in the lung [75][76][77][78]. In sarcoidosis a positive gallium-67 scan is thought to reflect the intensity of the alveolar macrophage component of the alveolitis [1,74], but this has not been proven definitely.…”

“…In sarcoidosis a positive gallium-67 scan is thought to reflect the intensity of the alveolar macrophage component of the alveolitis [1,74], but this has not been proven definitely. In con trast, bronchoalveolar lavage has been used primarily to assess the T-cell component of the inflammation [1,3,29,30,79,80].…”