Connect with Pristyn Care

VQ Scan (Lung Ventilation and Lung Perfusion Scan) Cost

VQ (Ventilation Perfusion) scan is an imaging mechanism performed to examine two main functionalities of your lungs. This test involves a nuclear medicine scan that utilizes radioactive substances to analyze the flow of blood (perfusion) and airflow (ventilation) through your lungs. These radio-pharmaceuticals (nuclear medicines) help to provide a clear image through your scanning procedure. VQ scans are mainly carried out to determine the presence of blood clots in your lungs. This diagnostic process is termed as pulmonology embolism (PE).

VQ Scan (Lung Ventilation and Lung Perfusion Scan) Cost in Various Indian Cities
We have VQ Scan (Lung Ventilation and Lung Perfusion Scan) price information in 1 cities.
CityAverage PriceStarting PricePrice Upto
MumbaiRs. 5333.00Rs. 5000.00Rs. 5500.00

A VQ scan works in two sub parts. The first sub part involves breathing in radioactive substance to visualize the flow of air through your lungs. Patients are given a small dosage of nuclear medicine to breathe in, using a nebulizer. A nebulizer is a medical device used to transform liquid form of medicine into gaseous form. There is a small tube connected to this device containing a face mask at its end that fits on your nose and mouth. The mask connected to the nebulizer is held near your nasal region in order to help your breathe in aerosol (mist) form of nuclear medicine.

While you breathe in the radioactive material, radiologist will ask you to lie down in order to scan your lungs. A special radioactive material camera called gamma camera is used here to picturize your lungs. Images are taken from various different angles and the results are recorded. As the drugs flow through your lungs, they are easily visible under the gamma camera and can be located easily. In such a way, your doctor checks if there are any blocked sections to the flow of these gases.

The second sub part of a VQ test involves usage of different nuclear drug. These radioactive drugs are injected into the vein of your arm. As the medicine travels through your veins to your lungs, the radiologist repeats the process of imaging using gamma camera. Many images are captured at several angles. Your doctor will ask you to breathe gently while the scanning process is being carried out. If the scanning methodology visualizes any kind of gaps in your blood vessels, it indicates that there is absence of these radioactive substances in that region. Hence, this shows that there is a blockage present in the section visualized.

The complete procedure of VQ scan takes around 30 to 60 minutes. Radioactive medicine inducted into your system gets eliminated from your body within 24 hours. Some part of these radio-pharmaceuticals disappears right away, whereas the remaining part is flushed out from your system while you urinate.

To summarize, the article gives you a detailed knowledge about VQ scan test. The procedure of this test along with its two sub parts is also explained. If you have any queries regarding VQ scan test, you can discuss it with your radiologist before undergoing the scan test.

VQ Scan (Lung Ventilation and Lung Perfusion Scan) FAQs
Q: What is a VQ scan test?
A: Also called as pulmonary ventilation/ perforation test, VQ scan test is a series of two scans to determine how well the lungs are performing.
Q: How does this scan test work?
A: VQ scan is primarily based on the use of a radioactive material that is traced by a specially designed scanner. This radioactive material shows up in the scanned images and gives the doctor an idea on the functioning of the lungs and whether its normal or not.
Q: Is VQ scan test dangerous?
A: The radioactive material used generally presents low risk and some substances diffuse very rapidly. However, the radioactive isotope may take upto 24 hours, at the most, to be completely cleared out of your system while the remaining substance may be eliminated from the system through urine.
Q: What happens during the test?
A: During the first part of the test, patients are given a nuclear medicine in aerosol form via a nebulizer. During this process, patient is asked to lay down and lungs are scanned by a gamma scanner. This checks the lung's capacity to breathe at full extent. In the second part, a different nuclear medicine is injected into your vein and the doctor asks you to breathe slowly while the drug passes through your system. The lungs are then visualized and images are checked for any blockages or abnormalities.
Q: Why is this test ordered?
A: A VQ scan test is generally ordered to scan for pulmonary embolisms, also known as blood clots in the lungs. This test is also ordered before a lung surgery to monitor the lung function.
×