What is a Lung perfusion scan?
- Lung Perfusion measures how well blood circulates within the lungs.
Potential reasons for exams?
- Evaluate lung transplants.
- Evaluate chronic pulmonary parenchymal disorders such as cystic fibrosis.
- Evaluate pulmonary perfusion and ventilation after cardiac and pulmonary artery surgery
- Determine the likelihood of an acute pulmonary embolism
- Quantify differential pulmonary function before pulmonary and cardiac surgery
- Document the degree of resolution of pulmonary embolism
- Confirm the presence of bronchopleural fistula (in layperson terms: “air leak”)
- Evaluate the cause of pulmonary hypertension and to rule out chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH)
What happens during the procedure?
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An IV is placed and a short-lived safe radioactive tracer called technetium-99M is injected. Your child will lay on their back and have images taken by a special gamma scanner. The overall scan should take 15 minutes.
Are any special preparations needed?
- In most cases, no special preparation is needed.
Example:
