A pitfall of fadioisotope quantification of the ratio of pulmonary blood flow to systemic blood flow (Qp/Qs) in a patient with severe postoperative pulmonary venous obstruction

Beverley Newman, L. Grosse-Wortmann, M. Charron, S. J. Yoo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

PURPOSE: We report a case with initial misinterpretation of the radionuclide angiocardiographic study that was obtained in a child with persistent tachypnea and concern for residual left to right shunt after prior repair of total anomalous pulmonary veins and an atrial septal defect. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ultrasound, radionuclide angiocardiogram, and magnetic resonance imaging studies were obtained. RESULTS: The radionuclide study was ordered after an unremarkable ultrasound. Unsuspected severely reduced left pulmonary arterial flow associated with high-grade ipsilateral pulmonary venous obstruction led to misinterpretation of the radionuclide study as a large residual shunt. Later replotting of the graphic data using each lung separately corrected the error. Magnetic resonance played a key role in making the correct diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Significant asymmetric pulmonary flow due to vascular obstruction is an important additional potential pitfall to recognize in interpreting radionuclide angiocardiographic studies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)521-524
Number of pages4
JournalClinical Nuclear Medicine
Volume33
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2008
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • MR
  • Pulmonary vein obstruction
  • Radionuclide angiocardiogram

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

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