The rate of clearance of inhaled 99mTc-pentetate aerosols has been used as an indicator of pulmonary epithelial "permeability" in human and animal studies. In order to evaluate this technique further, groups of eight male ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) were given acute exposures to aerosols of CdCl2 or NaCl via endotracheal tube. Serial evaluations of the thoracic clearance rate of inhaled 99mTc-pentetate aerosols (MMAD = 0.6 microns, sigma g = 1.6) were made before exposure and at fixed time points after toxicant exposure (3 or 6, 24, 48 h, and 5 days after CdCl2). These serial evaluations of 99mTc-pentetate thoracic clearance were conducted at three cadmium intake levels (3, 10, and 30 min exposure to 10 mg/m3 CdCl2) in order to evaluate possible dose-related response relationships. The rate of thoracic clearance of Tc-pentetate was observed to be slowed at 3 h after exposure to CdCl2 aerosol and subsequently increased to well above control rates. The time sequence observed strongly suggests that increased Tc-pentetate clearance rates are indicative of a tissue response or repair process, rather than acute lung injury. Tracheal epithelial penetration of macromolecular tracers was not observed to increase in histological evaluations following serial sacrifice.