[Initial experience with ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy in patients with a suspected pulmonary embolism]

Ventilation-perfusion (V/P) scintigraphy was performed 62 times in 57 patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism (PE). The aim of this study was to present the results and our first experiences in V/P scintigraphy, as well as to point out some specificities of the study. Perfusion scintigraphy was performed following i.v. administration of 99mTc MAA. If the finding was positive, ventilation scan was performed directly after the inhalation of 99mTc DTPA aerosol. Based on the comparison of both findings the patients were divided into four groups: normal finding (8.1% of patients), low (54.8%), medium (22.6%), and high level of PE probability (14.5%). As V/P scintigraphy is a very sensitive and non-aggressive method, it is our opinion that it should be included in PE diagnosing as a "screening" method, because the scanning results greatly influence further therapeutical and diagnostic treatment of the patient.