Potential role of the ventilation and perfusion (V/Q) lung scan in the diagnosis of acute chest syndrome in adults with sickle cell disease.

The current criteria for diagnosing ACS are chest pain and presence of a new infiltrate on the chest radiograph (CXR). This study was designed to evaluate the role of ventilation and perfusion (V/Q) scan to assist in the early diagnosis of ACS. An abnormal V/Q scan was associated with a diagnosis of ACS that reached a statistical significance (P < 0.038). The sensitivity and specificity were found to be 60% and 100%, respectively. We conclude that V/Q scan may play a role in the early diagnosis of ACS.