A ventilation scan is a nuclear medicine imaging test that measures how air moves in and out of your lungs. It's often performed as part of a ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scan to help diagnose lung problems.
Understanding the Ventilation Scan
During a ventilation scan, you'll inhale a radioactive gas or aerosol (a radioactive substance in the form of a mist). A special camera then detects the radiation in your lungs, creating images that show how well air is distributed throughout them.
What the Ventilation Scan Shows
The ventilation scan helps doctors assess:
- Airflow: Whether air is reaching all parts of your lungs.
- Lung Capacity: How well your lungs can hold air.
- Air Trapping: Whether air is getting trapped in certain areas of your lungs.
Why is a Ventilation Scan Performed?
A ventilation scan is commonly performed as part of a V/Q scan to diagnose:
- Pulmonary Embolism (PE): A blood clot in the lungs.
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): A group of lung diseases that block airflow.
- Pneumonia: An infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs.
- Other lung conditions affecting airflow.
The V/Q Scan: Ventilation and Perfusion
The ventilation scan is typically performed alongside a perfusion scan. The perfusion scan measures blood flow in the lungs. Comparing the images from both scans helps doctors determine if any areas of the lungs are receiving air but not blood (or vice versa), which can indicate a problem.
| Scan | Measures |
|---|---|
| Ventilation | Airflow in the lungs |
| Perfusion | Blood flow in the lungs |
In summary, a ventilation scan is a valuable tool for evaluating airflow in the lungs and diagnosing various lung conditions, especially when combined with a perfusion scan.
