Morphofunctional Lung Analysis by PET and CT After Lung Transplantation

72 hours after lung transplantation, patients undergo a positron emission tomography (PET) scan and a computed tomography (CT) scan in order to analyse lung function and morphology. Aim of the study is to analyse complications onset (in particular primary graft dysfunction), and evaluate 90 days mortality after lung transplantation.

Pulmonary transplantation is considered as a lifesaving procedure in end-stage pulmonary disease. However morbidity and mortality after lung transplantation are still significant. Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is the main cause of early death. PGD is similar to acute lung injury (ALI)/ acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS): oxygenation is compromised, pulmonary compliance is decreased, chest Rx shows several infiltrates, and alveolar damage is present. 25% of patients develops PGD within 72 hours from transplantation and 30 days mortality is eight times higher in patients who develop PGD. 72 hours after lung transplantation, patients, whose clinical condition allow to bring them to nuclear medicine department, will undergo pulmonary computed tomography (CT) to study lung morphology and measure lung recruitability and positron emission tomography (PET) to study lung functionality and estimate lung inflammation. Aim of this study is to investigate the onset of PGD and other complications and to determine 72 hours and 90 days mortality after lung transplantation.