title: The value of lung scintigraphy in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism.
abstract: The role of lung scintigraphy in the diagnostic management of patients with clinically suspected pulmonary embolism is reviewed. Evidence is provided that a normal perfusion scan excludes clinically relevant pulmonary embolism, and that a high probability lung scan, defined as a segmental perfusion defect with locally normal ventilation, sufficiently confirms the presence of pulmonary embolism in the majority of these patients. Furthermore, this review assesses the possibility of non-invasive tests for the diagnosis or exclusion of venous thromboembolic disease as a means of avoiding pulmonary angiography in patients with lung scan outcomes that are neither normal nor high probability.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Hemostasis, Thrombosis, Atherosclerosis and Inflammation Research, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: van Beek
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Tiel-van Buul
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Büller
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: van Royen
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: ten Cate
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011859:Radiography; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D014692:Ventilation-Perfusion Ratio / Q000502:physiology