Imaging of pulmonary embolisms.

Area of Science:

• Diagnostic imaging
• Pulmonary medicine
• Medical diagnostics

Background:

• Pulmonary embolism diagnosis is complex due to non-specific clinical findings.
• The utility of ventilation-perfusion scanning for pulmonary embolism has been debated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the role of lung scintigraphy in diagnosing pulmonary embolism.
• To assess the reliability of different probability categories in ventilation-perfusion scans.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of results from the Prospective Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis study.
• Evaluation of lung scintigraphy (ventilation-perfusion scanning) in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism.

Main Results:

• Lung scintigraphy remains a crucial diagnostic procedure for pulmonary embolism.
• "Normal" and "high"-probability scan categories are reliable for treatment decisions.
• "Intermediate" and "low"-probability categories lack reproducibility and require further testing.

Conclusions:

• Lung scintigraphy is a valuable tool in the pulmonary embolism diagnostic work-up.
• Clear diagnostic pathways can be established for "normal" and "high"-probability scans.
• Further investigations are necessary for patients with "intermediate" or "low"-probability scans.