Time Trend Analysis of PE Diagnosis With SPECT V/Q: a Single Institution Observational Study

Following the implementation of SPECT V/Q imaging for PE diagnosis, the investigators previously conducted an observational study over the period 2011-2013 that showed the safety of a diagnostic management based on SPECT V/Q to rule out PE. However, PE prevalence was high (28%), which may seem a bit high as compared with other recent studies. The hypothesis was that the use of SPECT V/Q may be responsible for an overdiagnosis of PE, especially at the implementation phase of the test. The aim of this study was to perform a time trend analysis of the evolution over the years of PE diagnosis with SPECT V/Q.