PET imaging of regional 18F-FDG uptake and lung function after cigarette smoke inhalation.

Abstract

Substantial interanimal variability and spatial heterogeneity in lung function and (18)F-FDG uptake seem to characterize the response to smoke exposure. The highest levels of local (18)F-FDG uptake were associated with differences in V/Q matching and shunt fraction among animals. The data also suggest that preexisting heterogeneity in V/Q could have been responsible for the large interanimal variability by affecting the heterogeneity and strength of the acute response to smoke inhalation.