Perfusion lung scintigraphy
Perfusion lung scintigraphy is used to evaluate blood circulation in the patient’s lungs. This scan technique assures high accuracy in diagnostics of::
- acute pulmonary embolism
- chronic pulmonary embolism – diagnostics and therapy follow-up
- pulmonary hypertension
- evaluation of some lung congenital anomalies
- respiratory failure
Contraindications:
Pregnancy and breast feeding.
How should I prepare for the scan?
- no special patient preparation is required.
- please bring your medical records (incl. all medical imaging records) to the appointment with you.
On the appointment day, the patient must bring the recent chest x-ray or computed tomography incl. summary with them. These data can help to exclude other diseases which, similar to pulmonary embolism, can also result in pulmonary circulation disturbances.
How is the scan performed?
- The patient receives an intravenous injection of the radiopharmaceutical. Scintigraphic images are recorded immediately upon the isotope administration. The scan is performed using SPECT technique and takes about 40 minutes.
What do I need to do after the scan?
- void contact with children and pregnant women for 24 h,
- increase fluid intake to speed up tracer elimination,