Pulmonary scintigraphy and the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. A perspective

The authors attempt to demonstrate those circumstances for which perfusion scintigraphy, by itself, or in combination with ventilation scintiscanning, offers the best adjunctive information in excluding or confirming the presence of pulmonary embolism. They then identify those circumstances in which scintiscanning does not or cannot contribute significantly to the medical decision-making process. In these cases, the use of pulmonary angiography or possibly peripheral venography is not only recommended but, if warranted clinically, is absolutely necessary.