Crack cocaine mimicking pulmonary embolism on pulmonary ventilation/perfusion lung scan. A case report.
Cocaine inhalation is associated with multiple pulmonary complications including pulmonary infiltrates, pulmonary edema, barotrauma, tracheal injury, and alveolar hemorrhage. Little has been reported about ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) lung scanning in patients who smoke cocaine. The authors report a case of inhalation cocaine abuse mimicking pulmonary embolism by V/Q scan criteria. This case report documenting perfusion abnormalities within hours of cocaine smoking which resolved within days provides the first in vivo evidence for pulmonary vasoconstriction.
Smith
G T
GT
Department of Radiology, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville 37919.
McClaughry
P L
PL
Purkey
J
J
Thompson
W
W
D000328:Adult; D016578:Crack Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D014692:Ventilation-Perfusion Ratio
D016578:Crack Cocaine