Lung Scan

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Test Overview

A lung scan is a nuclear scanning test that is most commonly used to detect a blood clot that is preventing normal blood flow to part of a lung (pulmonary embolism). See an illustration of a lung scan .

Two types of lung scans are usually done together:

• Ventilation scan. During a ventilation scan, a radioactive tracer gas is inhaled into the lungs. Pictures from this scan can show areas of the lungs that are not receiving enough air or that retain too much air. Areas of the lung that retain too much air show up as bright or “hot” spots on the pictures. Areas that are not receiving enough air show up as dark or “cold” spots.
• Perfusion scan. During a perfusion scan, a radioactive tracer substance is injected into a vein in the arm. It travels through the bloodstream and into the lungs. Pictures from this scan can show areas of the lungs that are not receiving enough blood. The tracer is absorbed evenly in areas of the lung where the blood flow is normal. These areas show up with the tracer distributed evenly. Areas that are not receiving enough blood show up as cold spots.

If the lungs are working normally, blood flow on a perfusion scan matches air flow on a ventilation scan. A mismatch between the ventilation and perfusion scans may indicate a pulmonary embolism.

Ventilation and perfusion scans can be done separately or together to diagnose certain lung diseases. If both scans are done, the test is called a V/Q scan. In this case, the ventilation scan is done first.

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Last updated:	November 01, 2006
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine, Kenneth B. Sutherland, CD, BSc, MD, FRCPC - Diagnostic Radiology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer