The Journal of clinical investigation
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Deposition and clearance of inhaled particles of iron oxide labeled with (198)Au were studied in 19 normal subjects (10 nonsmokers and 9 smokers). For this purpose, monodisperse aerosols of particles with a 2 mu diameter were produced in a spinning disc atomizer. Thoracic counts and images with a scintillation camera were begun immediately after inhalation of the aerosol and continued for 6 hr. ⋯ In smokers, tracheobronchial clearance was delayed for periods of 1-4 hr after inhalation. Furthermore, in contrast with the findings in nonsmokers, significant clearance was still occurring in many of the smokers in the 5th and 6th hr after inhalation. Also, photoscintigrams showed an abnormal accumulation of particles in the large airways several hours after inhalation of the aerosol.