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Daniel Kahn, MD; David L. Bushnell, MD; Robert Dean, MD; Scott B. Perlman, MD

Arch Intern Med. 1989;149(2):377-379.

Abstract
• Lung ventilation and perfusion (V/Q) scintigraphy is usually indicated when pulmonary embolism (PE) is a suspected diagnosis. Typically, V/Q scintigraphic interpretation is reported as a "normal," "low," "intermediate," or "high probability" of PE. Although a "low probability" interpretation does not exclude the diagnosis of PE, it significantly reduces the likelihood. We retrospectively analyzed up to one year of follow-up in 90 patients who were clinically suspected of having PE, but in whom V/Q scintigraphy implied a low probability of PE. None of the 90 patients demonstrated clinical evidence of PE subsequent to the V/Q scan. Our findings suggest that significant pulmonary embolism is uncommon and that the clinical course appears to be predictable in patients with a low probability V/Q scan.

(Arch Intern Med 1989;149:377-379)

Author Affiliations
From the Division of Nuclear Medicine, University of Iowa College of Medicine and Nuclear Medicine Section, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Iowa City (Dr Kahn); Chicago Medical School, University of Health Sciences (Drs Bushnell and Dean); and the Department of Radiology, Nuclear Medicine Division, University of Wisconsin Clinical Science Center, Madison (Dr Perlman).

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Oct 26, 1988.

Reprint requests to Department of Radiology, Nuclear Medicine Division, University of Wisconsin Clinical Science Center, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792 (Dr Perlman).

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