RESUMO
OBJETIVOS: O presente estudo teve por objetivo analisar as alterações pulmonares de pacientes portadores de esquistossomose hepatoesplênica, tratados clínica e cirurgicamente, através da cintilografia pulmonar de perfusão e espirometria. MÉTODO: Trinta pacientes jovens portadores de esquistossomose mansônica hepatoesplênica, previamente tratados clínica e cirurgicamente, se submeteram a cintilografia pulmonar de perfusão e avaliação da capacidade respiratória pela espirometria. RESULTADOS: Ao exame cintilográfico, constataram-se alterações em 33,3 por cento dos pacientes e padrão restritivo pulmonar em 30 por cento das espirometrias. CONCLUSÕES: A prevalência do acometimento pulmonar, avaliado pela Medicina Nuclear, se situou abaixo do observado em pacientes não tratados, relatados na literatura. O padrão restritivo pulmonar, entretanto, avaliado pela espirometria, foi elevado e merece atenção especial no seguimento e manuseio desses pacientes.
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this investigation was to study with lung scintigraphy and spirometry, the lung involvement in patients with hepatosplenic masonic schistosomiasis previously treated clinically and surgically. METHOD: Thirty young patients with hepatoesplenic mansonic schistosomiasis previously treated clinical and surgically were examined by pulmonary scintigraphy and spirometry. RESULTS: Pulmonary perfusion scintigraphy detected alterations in 33.3 percent of the patients and the spirometry demonstrated a restrictive respiratory pattern in 30 percent of them. From these results one can observe a small prevalence of the pulmonary schistosomiasis as compared to the literature. The probable explanation could be due to precocious clinical and surgical treatment, which promote the involution of the granuloma, the basic lesion of the pulmonary schistosomiasis. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of lung involvement, based on Nuclear Medicine study, was lower than non treated patients reported in the literature, however restrictive respiratory pattern remains high and deserves special attention in the follow up and management of these patients.