Reston, VA (October 20, 2026) — The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM), American College of Nuclear Medicine (ACNM), and Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine (ANZSNM) have issued a new procedure standard/procedure guideline for performing and interpreting lung imaging studies. The standard/guideline, published in the September issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology , provides a robust framework for clinical applications and standardization of ventilation–perfusion (V/Q) scintigraphy, ventilation-only scintigraphy, and perfusion-only scintigraphy.
Lung scintigraphy is a fundamental diagnostic procedure used to evaluate a range of pulmonary pathologies, including, but not limited to, pulmonary embolism. Recent advances in imaging technology, including the transition from planar imaging to single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), co-registration with computed tomography (CT), and the widespread adoption of 99m Tc-based ultrafine aerosolized carbon nanoparticles (i.e., Technegas ® ) for ventilation imaging, have enhanced the diagnostic accuracy and clinical utility of lung scintigraphy.
The standard/guideline provides nuclear medicine practitioners with updated, evidence-based recommendations for conducting and interpreting lung imaging, incorporating both established techniques and recent technological advances. It is intended to ensure standardized imaging protocols in order to facilitate consistent, high-quality diagnostic outcomes across various clinical settings.
With the new standard/guideline, the authoring organizations hope to enhance understanding of the clinical utility of lung scintigraphy beyond pulmonary embolism, promoting comprehensive patient assessment in a range of pulmonary diseases. They also aim to facilitate the integration of SPECT (and SPECT/CT) imaging with newer ventilation agents, improving diagnostic accuracy, reproducibility, and patient outcomes.
The standard/guideline includes information on clinical indications for V/Q imaging, qualifications and responsibilities of personnel, procedures/specifications of examinations, and documentation and reporting. It also covers equipment specification, quality control and improvement, safety, infection control, patient education concerns, and radiation safety in imaging. Emerging technologies in lung imaging studies are also discussed.
SNMMI, EANM, ACNM, and ANZSNM periodically define new standards/guidelines for nuclear medicine practice to help advance the science of nuclear medicine and to deliver effective and safe medical care to patients. Each standard/guideline, representing a policy statement by the organizations, undergoes a thorough consensus process in which it is subjected to extensive review.
The authors of “SNMMI/EANM/ACNM/ANZSNM Procedure Standard/Procedure Guideline for Ventilation–Perfusion Pulmonary Scintigraphy” include Paul J. Roach and Dale L. Bailey, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Geoffrey M. Currie, School of Dentistry and Medical Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia; Erin E. Grady and Alexander C.W. Lee, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Linda B. Haramati, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Michel LeBlanc, Department of Medical Imaging, Centre Hospitalier Affilie Universitaire Regional, Universite de Montreal, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada; Pierre-Yves Le Roux and Pierre-Yves Salaun, University of Brest, Inserm, UMR 1304, GETBO, Brest, France; Darlene F. Metter, Department of Radiology, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas; and Barry A. Siegel, Edward Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
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About JNMT and the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology (JNMT) is a quarterly, peer-reviewed journal devoted to nuclear medicine technology, covering imaging and instrumentation, radiopharmacy, quality assurance, radiation safety, and more. It also serves as a continuing education resource, with teaching editorials and continuing education articles. Current and past issues of JNMT can be found online at https://tech.snmjournals.org .
JNMT is published by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), an international scientific and medical organization dedicated to advancing nuclear medicine, molecular imaging, and theranostics—precision medicine that allows diagnosis and treatment to be tailored to individual patients in order to achieve the best possible outcomes. For more information, visit www.snmmi.org .
Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
Open Access SNMMI/EANM/ACNM/ANZSNM Procedure Standard/Procedure Guideline for Ventilation–Perfusion Pulmonary Scintigraphy