Pulmonary ventilation/perfusion scan

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Albumin injection

V/Q scan; Ventilation/perfusion scan; Lung ventilation/perfusion scan

Risks are about the same as for x-rays (radiation) and needle pricks.

No radiation is emitted from the scanner. Instead, it detects radiation and converts it to a visible image. There is a small exposure to radiation from the radioisotope. The radioisotopes used during scans are short-lived, with almost all radiation leaving the body in a few days. However, as with any radiation exposure, caution is advised for pregnant or breast-feeding women.

There is a slight risk for infection or bleeding at the site of the needle insertion. The risk with perfusion scan is the same as with inserting an intravenous needle for any other purpose.

In rare cases, a person may develop an allergy to the radioisotope, which may include a serious anaphylactic reaction.

A pulmonary ventilation and perfusion scan may be a lower-risk alternative to pulmonary angiography for evaluating disorders of the lung blood supply.

This test may not provide an absolute diagnosis, particularly in people with underlying lung disease. Other tests may be necessary to confirm or rule out the findings of a pulmonary ventilation and perfusion scan.

Review Date: 03/01/2007
Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.