title: Current Status of Ventilation-Perfusion Scintigraphy for Suspected Pulmonary Embolism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this article is to outline recent progress made in ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) scintigraphy imaging techniques and the interpretation systems used for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE). Various state-of-the-art approaches that can be selected according to the needs dictated by the medical practice environment and specific patient groups are presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although advances in tomographic imaging have certainly improved the sensitivity of V/Q scans for the diagnosis of PE, they may lead to overdiagnosis by revealing small and clinically insignificant PEs.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229.
authors.forename: Darlene
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Metter
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine, Pennsylvania State University Hospital, Hershey, PA.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tulchinsky
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.
authors.forename: Leonard M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Freeman
mesh_terms: D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D000072098:Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin; D014692:Ventilation-Perfusion Ratio
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin
keywords: V/Q reporting; pulmonary embolism; pulmonary embolism overdiagnosis; pulmonary embolism overtreatment; pulmonary embolism tomographic imaging