A new technique for xenon-133 ventilation imaging in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism.

A new approach to ventilation imaging of the lung using 133Xe in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism is described. Three inhalation images are obtained in the postero-anterior, right posterior oblique and left posterior oblique projections, respectively, and each image contains 140-180 kcounts. The technique is quick and simple and needs neither an oxygen supply nor a spirometer. It combines the multiple views characteristic of krypton imaging with the ease of availability of xenon.