Disorders associated with extensive unilateral abnormalities in ventilation/perfusion or perfusion scintigraphy

Along with the utilization of radionuclides for ventilation (V) and perfusion (Q) functional imaging of the lungs, massive predominantly unilateral scintigraphic abnormalities had been captured and cumulatively recorded in the literature. Such distinctive imaging findings are infrequent and their reported occurrences are reviewed. The precipitating disorders are categorized according to the corresponding V/Q scintigraphic findings that reflect the underlying pathophysiology. This arrangement may facilitate the interpretation of pulmonary scintigraphy with similar unusual imaging characteristics. The perfusion scan of patients with a variety of congenital heart diseases often show imaging abnormalities that are diffusely unilateral. It has been proven quite useful for evaluation of the pulmonary blood flow in those cardiac disorders before and after palliative or corrective surgery.