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Know Your Health: Take A VQ Scan

by

Cedric Loiselle

With the environmental factors we are faced with daily and the number of unhealthy habits we follow, there’s no assurance that our body is still in its optimal state. So, it is best that we take every precaution necessary and consider having yearly comprehensive physical exams to get some insight into how your body is doing. If you are concerned about your wellbeing, you can take the standard physical tests and add a VQ scan on the list.

Otherwise known as ventilation/perfusion lung scans, the VQ scan is a procedure involving the use of two medical isotopes to examine the flow of air (ventilation) and blood (perfusion) inside the target organ. This can be a diagnostic test for any lung disease and it can be compared with a chest x-ray to get a full picture of the lung’s current state. The good thing about this test is that it does not require a person to fast or undergo any ritual preparation before the procedure. The downside is that it is quite uncomfortable. Anyone planning to undergo this procedure must talk to a health professional first to get a complete blow-by-blow account of what they can expect. To give you a brief insight, a radioactive albumin will be introduced to the body through IV lines for the perfusion test and this will be as painful as a blood extraction. Afterwards, you will be asked to lie on a table and wait out the scanning process. The ventilation part is the one that’s a bit more intimidating because you will be asked to stay in a small confined area during the scan. Moreover, you will also be asked to inhale the radioactive material through a mask and it will be worn at all times during the second scan to keep the gaseous radionuclide flowing through the lungs. All in all, it will take an hour to accomplish and results can be retrieved the day after. You can expect one out of four results from the test (between Normal, Low Probability, Intermediate Probability and High Probability) and they can indicate the problems, possibly occlusions in your pulmonary airways and arteries, which can denote CAD, pneumonia, emphysema, or blood clots. There is always that question of health risk when exposed to radioactive material. But for the VQ scan, it is very low. There have been no reports of malpractice on the matter. Allergic reactions to the isotopes used are very rare. Moreover, the amount introduced to the body is not enough to cause medical harm. They generally have a short lifespan. With adequate hydration and ventilation, the radioactive dyes can be disposed from the body quickly without any side effects. It is not advised for pregnant women, though as it might affect the developing fetus. Those lactating are discouraged from breastfeeding for 24 to 72 hours, since it might take a week before the radioactive dyes are completely excreted from the system. It is very important that you consult a doctor first before you take this test so it can be properly supervised.

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Know Your Health: Take A VQ Scan