Findings in Lung Biopsy Tissue

At cardiac catheterization, 93 pulmonary wedge angiograms were performed in 85 patients with congenital heart defects. The pulmonary wedge angiogram was quantitatively analyzed and the findings were compared with hemodynamic features and morphometric assessment of lung biopsy tissue when available (27 patients). A pulmonary wedge catheter was directed into the right or left lower lobe to the origin of the posterobasal segment artery. The balloon was inflated and 0.3 mI/kg Renovist injected; then, the balloon was deflated and the venophase was followed. From the cine, the following were assessed: (1) abruptness of tapering of the pulmonary arteries (mean length of the artery segment between luminal diameters of 2.5 mm and 1.5 mm was calculated), (2) intensity of background haze with reference to standard films and (3) pulmonary circulation time, i.e., the time from balloon deflation to entrance of Renovist into the left atrium. Progressively more abrupt tapering of the pulmonary arteries was observed in patients with increasingly abnormal hemodynamics (p < 0.001). Four patient groups were significantly different from each other (p < 0.05): group I, normal mean pulmonary artery pressure (Pp.), group II, increased Ppa pulmonary vascular resistance (Rp) < 3 U/m2, group IIIa, Rp > 3 <5 U/in and group II1b, Rp 5 U/in. Tapering was also