Ventilation-perfusion studies in suspected pulmonary embolism

Journal Article · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1979 · Am. J. Roentgenol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.133.6.1033· OSTI ID:5277002

Biello, D R; Mattar, A G; McKnight, R C; Siegel, B A

The results of ventilation-perfusion (V-Q) imaging and pulmonary angiography were retrospectively analyzed in 146 patients with suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) to define the frequency of PE associated with various scintigraphic patterns. When the radionuclide images demonstrated at least two moderate-sized or one large area of V-Q mismatch, the probability of PE was 92%. However, only one of three patients with a single moderate-sized V-Q mismatch had PE, while small V-Q mismatches were not associated with PE in any of 19 patients. Matched V-Q abnormalities in lung regions that were radiographically normal were infrequently due to PE (4.8%). When a perfusion defect was substantially smaller than a corresponding radiograpic abnormality, frequency of PE was low (7.7%). Conversely, when a perfusion defect was substantially larger than the corresponding radiographic abnormality, there was a high probability of PE (87%). Matched perfusion and radiographic abnormalities indicated an intermediate probability of PE (27%). Patients with suspected pulmonary embolism may be classified into groups with low, intermediate, or high probability of pulmonary embolism on the basis of size and number of perfusion defects and a careful comparison of perfusion defects with ventilatory and radiographic findings.

• Research Organization: Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO
• OSTI ID: 5277002
• Journal Information: Am. J. Roentgenol.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. J. Roentgenol.; (United States) Vol. 133:6; ISSN AJROA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550601* -- Medicine-- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics
550602 -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Diagnostics-- (1980-)
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ALBUMINS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
BLOOD VESSELS
BODY
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
EMBOLI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
ISOMERIC NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LUNGS
MEDICINE
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATHOLOGY
PATIENTS
PERFUSED ORGANS
PERFUSED TISSUES
PROTEINS
RADIOISOTOPE SCANNING
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIOLOGY
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SCINTISCANNING
TECHNETIUM 99
TECHNETIUM ISOTOPES
TISSUES
VENTILATION
XENON 133
XENON ISOTOPES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES