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Ventilation-perfusion lung scans can be used to assess for pulmonary thromboembolism but have also largely been replaced by CT angiography. Positron emission tomographic (PET) scanning assesses the uptake and metabolism of a radiolabeled glucose analogue. Because malignant lesions usually have increased metabolic activity, PET scanning, especially when combined with CT images in PET/CT, is useful to assess pulmonary nodules for potential malignancy and to stage lung cancer. PET studies are limited in assessing lesions <1 cm in diameter; false-negative screening for malignancy can result from lesions with low metabolic activity, such as carcinoid tumors or bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma. False-positive PET signals can be observed in inflammatory conditions such as pneumonia.

Outline

Section 9. Pulmonology