In this article we review protocols for ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) imaging with current generation technology. Although many groups have expressed interest in moving from planar lung V/Q imaging to single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) methods, few resources or guidelines exist for suggested protocols. Here, we provide an introduction to help establish protocols for planar and SPECT V/Q imaging and display that should be readily transferable into a clinical department's routine practice. We emphasize, in particular, the need for a good ventilation study and that acquiring planar images as well as SPECT can be negated by producing acceptable planar-like images from the SPECT data.
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