To evaluate alveolar epithelial permeability (kep) in children with bronchial asthma, 99mTc-DTPA (diethylene triamine penta acetate) aerosol lung inhalation scintigraphies were performed. There was no correlation between the kep value and the severity of asthma. On the other hand, out of 10 the cases which had no aerosol deposition defect in the lung field, 4 showed high kep values on the whole lung field and 7 had high kep value areas, particularly apparent in the upper lung field. These results suggest that even when the central airway lesions are mild, severe damage exists in the alveolar region of the peripheral airway.