Comparison SPECT/CT Perfusion/Ventilation Lung Scan to CTPA and to D-dimer Studies in Evaluation of Patients with Acute Pulmonary Embolism: 5 year experience.

Conclusion: CTPA as well as V/Q SPECT/CT remain mainstay studies for diagnosis of acute PE. In patients with high clinical suspicion for acute PE, V/Q SPECT/CT is highly sensitive while CTPA demonstrates high specificity. The majority of false negative CTPAs were due to poor bolus injection and patient motion. The majority of false negative V/Q SPECT/CTs were secondary to parenchymal disease. Combined studies are recommended when the primary test is inconclusive. When clinical suspicion is low, D-dimer is useful to rule out acute pulmonary embolism.
Source: Journal of Nuclear Medicine - Category: Nuclear Medicine Authors: Tags: Cardiovascular Clinical Science Poster Session Source Type: research