Key result
Nonembolic pulmonary artery compromise from narrowing or compression causes false-positive V/Q mismatches in 3 cases.
Why the study?
Can nonembolic pulmonary artery compromise cause false-positive ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scan results?
Case Report (n=3)
Can nonembolic pulmonary artery compromise cause false-positive ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scan results?
V/Q scan results should be interpreted in conjunction with medical/surgical history and chest radiographs to avoid misdiagnosing nonembolic pulmonary artery compromise as pulmonary embolism.
May warrant caution interpreting V/Q scans without clinical context; case reports leave open prevalence and diagnostic algorithms for nonembolic mimics.
Ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scans are highly sensitive in detecting clinically significant pulmonary embolisms; however, V/Q mismatches are not specific to pulmonary embolism alone, and other etiologies can cause false-positive results. We present 3 cases where the pulmonary vasculature was compromised, from either intraluminal narrowing or external compression, with resultant mismatches. This raises the importance of interpreting V/Q scan results in conjunction with a thorough medical/surgical history and careful analysis of the chest radiograph.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Alis et al. (2017) conducted a case report in Nonembolic pulmonary artery compromise (n=3). Ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scan was evaluated on False-positive V/Q mismatch. Nonembolic pulmonary artery compromise from intraluminal narrowing or external compression caused false-positive V/Q mismatches in 3 presented cases.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: