False-Positive Ventilation-Perfusion Studies Due to Nonembolic Pulmonary Artery Compromise.

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Nuclear Medicine
• Pulmonary Medicine

Background:

• Ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scans are a sensitive tool for diagnosing pulmonary embolism.
• However, V/Q mismatches are not exclusively indicative of pulmonary embolism and can result from other pathologies.

Observation:

• This report details three cases where pulmonary vasculature compromise, due to intraluminal narrowing or external compression, led to V/Q mismatches.
• These cases illustrate non-embolic causes of abnormal V/Q scan findings.

Findings:

• Pulmonary vasculature compromise can mimic pulmonary embolism on V/Q scans.
• V/Q mismatches can arise from conditions other than pulmonary embolism, leading to potential false-positive interpretations.

Implications:

• Interpreting V/Q scans requires careful consideration of the patient's clinical history and surgical background.
• Integrating V/Q scan results with chest radiograph analysis is crucial for accurate diagnosis and avoiding misdiagnosis of pulmonary embolism.