A pulmonary ventilation/perfusion scan is performed to detect or exclude a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in a blood vessel of the lung) or the severity of obstructive pulmonary disease. This is done by comparing the ventilation and perfusion images.
The examination can also be requested in preparation for an operation on the lungs. This shows the function of the healthy part of the lung.
The examination consists of two parts. For the first part you need to inhale a mildly radioactive gas, and in the second part a small radioactive tracer is injected in a blood vessel in the arm. The distribution of the radioactive gas and injected product can be seen with a gamma camera.
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