id	author	title	date	pages	extension	mime	words	sentences	flesch	summary	cache	txt
cord-283877-qy6s5xrw	Vöö, Stefan	Single photon emission computed tomography-computed tomography lung perfusion imaging during the COVID-19 pandemic: does nuclear medicine need to reconsider its guidelines?	2020-07-03		.txt	text/plain	1754	85	38	An area of interest and controversy in clinical practice remains that of ventilation-perfusion scans in patients with respiratory symptoms who are referred for nuclear medicine imaging to exclude pulmonary embolism as a differential diagnosis to other respiratory conditions. We think that a perfusion-only scintigraphy with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) lowdose computed tomography (CT) of the chest while excluding the ventilation scan, as a first line investigation, could be still a well tolerated option while preserving the diagnostic quality of the scan and avoiding unnecessary risk related to aerosolization and possible viral spread. We, therefore, propose that lung perfusion-only SPECT-CT should be considered in patients with contraindications for CTPA and suspected acute PE during the COVID-19 pandemic as a first line of investigation. However, ventilation SPECT scan, although debatable, may still be performed, if lung perfusion scan is abnormal, after PCR swab testing preferably in PCR Covid-19 negative patients and with use or full PPE for aerosol generating procedures.	./cache/cord-283877-qy6s5xrw.txt	./txt/cord-283877-qy6s5xrw.txt