What are the differences between pulmonary perfusion scan and pulmonary ventilation scan?
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What are the differences between pulmonary perfusion scan and pulmonary ventilation scan?
6 doctors weighed in
Dr. Shahin Tavackoli
Internal Medicine - Cardiology
In brief: Lung V-Q scan
Ventilation scanning involves the patient breathing in a radiotracer while perfusion scanning involves injecting the radiotracer through an iv.
The procedure is done usually to evaluate the presence of absence of a pulmonary embolism (usually a blood clot) and involves comparing the radiotracer's presence in the alveoli vs. Its presence in the lung circulation.
In brief: Lung V-Q scan
Ventilation scanning involves the patient breathing in a radiotracer while perfusion scanning involves injecting the radiotracer through an iv.
The procedure is done usually to evaluate the presence of absence of a pulmonary embolism (usually a blood clot) and involves comparing the radiotracer's presence in the alveoli vs. Its presence in the lung circulation.
Dr. Shahin Tavackoli
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Dr. Michael DePietro
Usually when possible the scans are done as part of the same test, a ventilation/ perfusion scan, or VQ scan. The reason is that normally when there is an abnormality in ventilation, such as with pneumonia etc.. there is a matched decrease in perfusion blood flow) to the same area. A defect in blood flow to an area with normal ventilation suggests a blood clot in the lung which can be dangerous
Dr. Thomas Heston
Family Medicine
In brief: Blood vs air
The perfusion scan images blood perfusion of the lungs.
The ventilation scan is used to image ventilation by air of the lungs. Generally, both are performed together to see how well lung perfusion (blood) matches lung ventilation (air).
In brief: Blood vs air
The perfusion scan images blood perfusion of the lungs.
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