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Diagnostic evaluation of planar and tomographic ventilation/perfusion lung images in patients with suspected pulmonary emboli
Author(s) -
Bajc Marika,
Olsson CarlGustav,
Olsson Berit,
Palmer John,
Jonson Björn
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
clinical physiology and functional imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.608
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1475-097X
pISSN - 1475-0961
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-097x.2004.00546.x
Subject(s) - medicine , supine position , nuclear medicine , perfusion , scintigraphy , pulmonary embolism , perfusion scanning , tomography , ventilation (architecture) , radiology , mechanical engineering , engineering
Summary Planar lung ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy (V/P PLANAR ) is a standard method for diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE). The goals of this study were to test whether the diagnostic information of ventilation/perfusion tomography (V/P SPET ) applied in clinical routine might enhance information compared with V/P PLANAR and to streamline data processing for the demands of clinical routine. This prospective study includes 53 patients suspected for PE referred for lung scintigraphy. After inhalation of 99m Tc‐DTPA planar ventilation imaging was followed by tomography, using a dual‐head gamma camera. 99m Tc‐MAA was injected i.v. for perfusion tomography followed by planar imaging. Patients were examined in supine position, unchanged during V/P tomography. Two reviewers evaluated V/P PLANAR and V/P SPET images separately and randomly. Mismatch points were calculated on the basis of extension of perfusion defects with preserved ventilation. Patients were followed up clinically for at least 6 months. With V/P SPET the number of patients with PE was higher and 53% more mismatch points were found. In V/P SPET interobserver variation was less compared with V/P PLANAR . Ancillary findings were observed by both techniques in half of the patients but more precisely interpreted with V/P SPET . V/P SPET shows more and better delineated mismatch defects, improved quantification and less interobserver variation compared with V/P PLANAR . V/P SPET is amenable to implementation for clinical routine and suitable even when there is demand for a high patient throughput.