What would a v/q scan tell a doctor about air flow through an affected part of the lung?

Possible PE: It is done to look for signs that may support the diagnosis for a pulmonary embolism. If the area of the lung is getting air flow, but not blood flow, this is a mismatch. That supports a diagnosis of pe if there is othe supporting evidence. If there is air flow and blood flow pe is less likely.

A LOT OF INFORMATIO: A v/q scan provides a lot of information to the doctor about the blood flow to the lung and airflow to the lung. It is done to diagnose blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism-pe). If the affected part of the lung has impaired blood flow but normal airflow (called v/q mismatch) , a diagnosis of pe is entertained. If there is abnormal blood flow and abnormal airflow , then consider emphysema.

Pulmonary emboli: The main reason to perform a radionuclide lung study for both ventilation (=v) and perfusion ( =q) is to detect lung embolism, usually caused by a blot clot originating from the legs or abdomen. If there is some clots trapped in the lungs, there will be perfusion defects but the ventilation will remain normal. V/q scan can also be used to evaluate lung function in copd, cancer or severe disease.

Matching: A v/q scan (aka ventilation perfusion lung scan) is specifically used in situations where there is a concern for either inadequate airflow or blood flow to certain areas of lung(s). While images are acquired for both air & blood flow, interpretation is based on how well these 2 are matched in healthy & diseased parts of lung. Interpretation depends on underlying disease process. Talk to your doc.

COPD: A V (ventilation) / Q ( perfusion ) lung scan is designed to tell a doctor why a patient MAY have shortness of Breath or chest pain. Most of the time these tests are ordered to confirm or exclude whether the patient has a pulmonary embolism ( blood clot) in the lungs. However even negative V/Q scans can detect early to sever signs of emphysema /COPD. Which can also because of shortness of breath