What do VQ scans indicate?

A VQ scan can help to diagnose a blood clot in the lungs. If left untreated, blood clots can be fatal. If you have symptoms of a blood clot, such as shortness of breath and a sharp pain when you breathe in, your doctor might recommend a VQ scan. A blood clot is also known as a pulmonary embolism or PE.

What is the most common pulmonary perfusion abnormality?

While there are multiple etiologies of ventilation-perfusion mismatch, the most common causes include acute and chronic pulmonary embolism, a tumor obstructing an artery, and radiation therapy.

What is the main clinical indication for a VQ scan?

pulmonary embolism
The most common clinical indication for V/Q lung scan is to assess the likelihood of pulmonary embolism (PE) when contrast or radiation exposure is contraindicated.

What do you need to know about a VQ scan?

What is a Nuclear Medicine VQ Scan? A ventilation–perfusion (VQ) scan is a nuclear medicine scan that uses radioactive material (radiopharmaceutical) to examine airflow (ventilation) and blood flow (perfusion) in the lungs. The aim of the scan is to look for evidence of any blood clot in the lungs, called pulmonary embolism (PE).

How is a pulmonary embolism ( VQ ) scan done?

A ventilation–perfusion (VQ) scan is a nuclear medicine scan that uses radioactive material (radiopharmaceutical) to examine airflow (ventilation) and blood flow (perfusion) in the lungs. The aim of the scan is to look for evidence of any blood clot in the lungs, called pulmonary embolism (PE). A VQ scan is carried out in two parts.

How is a V / Q scan used to diagnose PE?

Interpretive criteria developed from the PIOPED , PIOPED II, or PISAPED trials can be used to determine the probability of a pulmonary embolism on a V/Q scan. For the diagnosis of PE, a V/Q scan has a reported sensitivity of 77.4% and specificity of 97.7% when compared to CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) or digital subtraction angiography (DSA) 3.

How are MAA particles detected on a V / Q scan?

The MAA particles are just small enough to get lodged in the pre-capillary arterioles. A high resolution, large field of view gamma camera is used to image the lungs. Interpretive criteria developed from the PIOPED , PIOPED II, or PISAPED trials can be used to determine the probability of a pulmonary embolism on a V/Q scan.