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A ventilation/perfusion lung scan, also called a V/Q lung scan, or ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy, is a type of medical imaging using scintigraphy and medical isotopes to evaluate the circulation of air and blood within a patient's lungs, [1] [2] in order to determine the ventilation/perfusion ratio.
Ventilation/perfusion scans, sometimes called a VQ (V=Ventilation, Q=perfusion) scan, is a way of identifying mismatched areas of blood and air supply to the lungs. It is primarily used to detect a pulmonary embolus. The perfusion part of the study uses a radioisotope tagged to the blood which shows where in the lungs the blood is perfusing.
The actual values in the lung vary depending on the position within the lung. If taken as a whole, the typical value is approximately 0.8. [4] Because the lung is centered vertically around the heart, part of the lung is superior to the heart, and part is inferior. This has a major impact on the V/Q ratio: [5] apex of lung – higher; base of ...
A pulmonary ventilation-perfusion scan (lung V/Q scan) can be used to diagnose the V/Q mismatch. A ventilation scan is used to measure airflow spread and a perfusion scan for blood flow distribution in the lungs. A radioactive tracer is used to scan the whole lung and the ventilation and perfusion function. [21]
State of the art modern CT scanners with a scan rate of up to 320 mm/s can acquire all the images within a 1-second X-ray exposure, avoiding the problems of respiratory motion, cardiac motion and contrast draining from the pulmonary circulation during the study. Even though the actual scan may be completed in 1 second or less, considerable ...
Percussion and resonance (the quality and feeling of sound) are used to examine lung movement and possible lung conditions. Specifically, percussion is performed by first placing the middle finger of one hand over the area of interest. The middle finger of the other hand is used to strike the last joint of the placed finger.
Pulmonary function testing is a safe procedure; however, there is cause for concern regarding untoward reactions and the value of the test data should be weighed against potential hazards. Some complications include dizziness, shortness of breath, coughing, pneumothorax, and inducing an asthma attack.
A posterior-anterior (PA) chest X-ray is the standard view used; other views (lateral or lordotic) or CT scans may be necessary. [citation needed] In active pulmonary TB, infiltrates or consolidations and/or cavities are often seen in the upper lungs with or without mediastinal or hilar lymphadenopathy. [1] However, lesions may appear anywhere ...