RT Journal
A1 Kahn D, Bushnell DL, Dean R, Perlman SB
T1 CLinical outcome of patients with a 'low probability' of pulmonary embolism on ventilation-perfusion lung scan
JF Archives of Internal Medicine
JO Archives of Internal Medicine
YR 1989
FD February 1
VO 149
IS 2
SP 377
OP 379
DO 10.1001/archinte.1989.00390020091019
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinte.1989.00390020091019
AB • Lung ventilation and perfusion (V/Q) scintigraphy is usually indicated when pulmonary embolism (PE) is a suspected diagnosis. Typically, V/Q scintigraphic interpretation is reported as a "normal," "low," "intermediate," or "high probability" of PE. Although a "low probability" interpretation does not exclude the diagnosis of PE, it significantly reduces the likelihood. We retrospectively analyzed up to one year of follow-up in 90 patients who were clinically suspected of having PE, but in whom V/Q scintigraphy implied a low probability of PE. None of the 90 patients demonstrated clinical evidence of PE subsequent to the V/Q scan. Our findings suggest that significant pulmonary embolism is uncommon and that the clinical course appears to be predictable in patients with a low probability V/Q scan.(Arch Intern Med 1989;149:377-379)