Nuclear medicine communications
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Is a lung perfusion scan obtained by using single photon emission computed tomography able to improve the radionuclide diagnosis of pulmonary embolism?
Planar pulmonary scintigraphy is still regularly performed for the evaluation of pulmonary embolism (PE). However, only about 50-80% of cases can be resolved by this approach. This study evaluates the ability of tomographic acquisition (single photon emission computed tomography, SPECT) of the perfusion scan to improve the radionuclide diagnosis of PE. ⋯ SPECT correctly classified 8/9 intermediate and 31/32 low probability V/Q scans as negative. It is concluded that lung perfusion SPECT is readily performed and reproducible. A negative study eliminates the need for a combined V/Q study and most of the 'non-diagnostic' V/Q probabilities can be solved with a perfusion image obtained by using tomography.
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From January 2000 to April 2002 a prospective audit based on a questionnaire was carried out concerning the attitudes and viewpoints of clinicians referring patients to fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) scanning. A standard and structured audit form was posted to each referring doctor with the formal clinical report issued by the nuclear medicine consultant. Three hundred and thirty evaluable forms were analysed, a return rate of approximately 22%, from a total of 1500 PET patients studied during this period. ⋯ Patient management was changed in 39% of cases whilst a change in treatment occurred in 10% of cases. The reported FDG PET study was judged as being helpful in over 75% of all cases. These data further support evidence of the increasing role of FDG studies in the investigation of patients with cancer.