Asia Oceania Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Biology

Asia Oceania Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Biology

How necessary it is to perform a ventilation scan in patients with a history of COVID-19 to rule out pulmonary thromboembolism?

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Farivash Karamian 1
Roham Nikkhah 2
Mohammad Ghorbani 3
Elham Rahmanipour 4
Mohammad Mohammadi 5
Emran Askari 1
Ramin Sadeghi 1
1 Nuclear Medicine Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
2 Isfahan Medical Students Research Committee (MSRC), Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
3 Orthopedic Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
4 Immunology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
5 School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
10.22038/aojnmb.2024.77934.1550
Abstract
Objective(s): This study evaluated the necessity of a ventilation scan in patients suspected of PE with a history of COVID-19 infection.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of patients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 and suspected PE at a tertiary care hospital in 2020. They underwent ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scintigraphy using single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) and CT scans with or without contrast. Two blinded nuclear medicine physicians interpreted the images for PE and COVID-19. Clinical and laboratory data were extracted and analyzed.
Results:  96 patients with suspected PE and COVID-19 infection. The study excluded eight patients who could not undergo ventilation scans and confirmed PE in five patients with multiple mismatched V/Q defects on SPECT/CT. The study ruled out PE in 83 patients who had either regular perfusion scans, perfusion defects with COVID-19 features, or matched V/Q defects. The study found that the prevalence of PE was 5.68%, and the necessity of ventilation scans was 28.40% in this population.
Conclusion: It was found that PE was present in 5.68% of the patients, and ventilation scans were needed for 28.40% of the patients to confirm or exclude it.
Keywords
SPECT/CT scan
COVID-19
Pulmonary embolism
ventilation scan
Subjects
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Asia Oceania Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Biology
Volume 13, Issue 1
January 2025
Pages 70-76