☢️ Scintigrafie de Ventilație și Perfuzie Pulmonară (V/Q Scan)

Updated Lung Ventilation Scan (Xenon) 9/8/2024 ●Indications  To assess the likelihood of pulmonary embolism, document the degree of resolution of pulmonary embolism, evaluate the cause of pulmonary HTN, quantify differential pulmonary function, evaluate chronic pulmonary parenchymal disorders, evaluate lung transplants, confirm the presence of bronchopleural fistula and evaluate congenital heart or lung disease. ●Radiopharmaceuticals: Ventilation imaging is usually performed prior to perfusion imaging.  5-20 mCi Xe-133 gas administered via inhalation via an enclosed ventilation system with a mouthpiece (nose clamped) or with a facemask ●Patient Preparation:  The patient must have a chest radiograph or CT/CTA chest within 24 hrs prior to the exam. If chest imaging is not available, order a chest radiograph(s) (two view preferred over one view) to be performed concurrent with the VQ scan. Sign the order for the radiograph(s) back to whomever ordered the VQ scan. Have the patient cough and take several deep breaths prior to the administration of radionuclides. ●Conflicting Examinations/Medications: No Nuclear Medicine exams within the previous 24 hrs. ●Pregnancy/Lactation:  Pregnancy testing is only needed in potentially pregnant patients who state they could be pregnant. See Pregnant, Potentially Pregnant and Lactating Patients policy for specifics. Breast feeding mothers do not need to discard breast milk following Xe-133 administration. ●Imaging Technique: Collimator - LEHR or LEAP Photopeak - 81 keV 20% window for Xe-133 Image Preset Counts - 50 secs/image or 300k counts/image Matrix Size - 128 x 128 Zoom - 1.23 Patient Positioning - upright preferred over supine with arms out of field-of-view (if possible) ●Images/Views: Begin imaging as soon as the patient begins inhaling the radionuclide.  Obtain posterior images during first breath and wash-in/equilibrium and at 3 mins, 4 mins, 5 mins, 6 mins, 7 mins,
8 mins and 9 mins (washout images). ●Notes:  The most common causes of ventilation-perfusion mismatch include acute pulmonary embolism, old pulmonary embolism, obstruction of a pulmonary artery by tumor and radiation therapy. Diagnostic Criteria (see tables below) ◦Modified PIOPED II - used for ventilation-perfusion exams. ◦PISAPED - used for perfusion only exams. Defects related to prior pulmonary emboli do not always completely resolve. The stripe sign (activity at the periphery of a perfusion defect) lowers the likelihood that a defect reflects a pulmonary embolism.  Triple matches in the lower lobes are more likely to be due to a pulmonary embolism than triple matches in the upper lobes.  A positive VQ scan is not specific for acute PE and can also be seen with chronic PE. A VQ scan is more appropriate than CTA for detecting chronic thromboembolic pulmonary disease as cause of pulmonary HTN.  The presence of a right-to-left shunt is identified by visualizing activity in the systemic vascular beds. An image of the head provides the most accurate method to detect small shunts.  Perfusion images can demonstrate hot spots in the lung if clotting of blood occurs in the syringe during the injection or if the injection is made through an indwelling catheter that is not flushed well prior to administration.

Injection of Tc-99m MAA through a central line can result in inadequate mixing of activity in the pulmonary arteries.  Activity in the thyroid is often used as an indicator of the presence of free pertechnetate. However the thyroid is also a high-flow organ and may be visualized in the case of a right-to-left shunt. Xe-133 activity can be visualized in the liver in the setting of hepatic steatosis.