I get a V/Q scan once per year, give of take. It’s a radioactive test and you get a little sticker afterward that says you had a radioactive procedure and  might test positive or up to three days and then you get the date written on it. They said that’s mostly if you are flying, so they don’t think you’re a terrorist. Then they scan you with a gamma “camera” or scanner that is the same radiation that the Incredible Hulk was changed with when the lightning struck. I keep waiting to become ‘she hulk’, but so far, I’m still too likeable when I’m angry.

What Does the Q Stand for in V/Q

Why is it called a ventilation perfusion scan when they call it a V/Q? So what I have learned is this: ‘Q’ comes from “quantité“, the French word for quantity or amount. French scientists like Darcy and Poiseuille derived equations involving rate of flow represented by the variable ‘Q’, and till this day, we often use the same letter to represent flow rates in other branches of science. In this example, ‘Q’ refers to the effective arterial perfusion of alveolar segments

And there you have it, V/Q ventilation and perfusion.

This is one of the easier tests I have to take. There are two parts to the test–one part is breathing in a gas and then scanning with the camera and the second part is injecting a radioactive tracer die and then scanning with the camera to look at the lungs.

It does require that you get an IV started so they can inject the die. For the first part, you sit up and they give you a mask that covers your mouth and nose and they have you exhale as hard and as long as you can and then they tell you to inhale deeply for as long as you can inhale and then after that you breathe normally.

Interesting note: due to covid, my hospital is not currently doing the breathing exam, only the IV exam right now,.. covid has affected a lot of things.

For the scanning part, you literally just lie there while the camera goes around you. It doesn’t cover your face at all. When it’s finished scanning, you just get up and you’re done.

Oh…. but you’re radioactive for about three days afterward. They give you a sticker to take with you if you’re going to the airport. it says you had a medical procedure and might show trace signs of radiation.,

What is the V/Q Exam for?

The ventilation perfusion test basically shows how the oxygen flows in the lungs. If there are blockages, like from unresolved pulmonary embolisms or if there are pleural effusions and pneumonia and other issues…. this test shows where the defects are and how big they are. It’s called a  mismatch when it’s not like it’s supposed to be.

I have a mismatch. My right lung is worse blocked than my left but both have defects. My largest defect has worsened in the past two years since my previous exam.

If I am eligible or the PTE surgery, they will go into the chest, cut the pulmonary artery open and through that, go into the lungs and literally remove the defects that are causing me to having trouble breathing. If they can get them all, I can even be considered cured. I think I have some that are too distal to get to so it won’t be a 100% cure for me, but they can remove the largest defect and make me breathe so much better!

I am waiting with cautious optimism to find out if I qualify!

Hope you found this informative, interesting or something….. LOL

Love and stuff,

Michy