Article Text
Research Article
Regional lung function in ankylosing spondylitis.
Abstract
Xenon-133 was used to study regional pulmonary function in nine patients with chest cage rigidity due to ankylosing spondylitis. In comparison with normal subjects, the patients showed an overall diminution in lung volume and the proportion of inhaled xenon reaching the lung apices was reduced but the distribution of injected xenon was normal. The possible relationship between these findings and apical lung disease in ankylosing spondylitis is mentioned.