Ventilation-perfusion scan for diagnosing pulmonary embolism: do chest x-rays matter?

Background: Ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) scan coupled with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is commonly used for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE). An abnormal chest x-ray (CXR) is deemed to hinder the interpretation of V/Q scan and therefore a normal CXR is recommended prior to V/Q scan.

Aims: To determine if an abnormal CXR impacted on V/Q scan interpretation and subsequent management.