The predictive value of preoperative perfusion/ventilation scintigraphy, spirometry and x-ray of the lungs on postoperative pulmonary complications. A prospective study

Prospectively, 125 patients were examined with 99mTc-perfusion scintigraphy, 89mKr- or 127Xe-ventilation scintigraphy and chest radiogram prior to major surgery. Postoperative therapy-demanding pulmonary complications occurred in 18% of the patients. A statistical association could be demonstrated between all the preoperative tests except ventilation scintigraphy and the frequency of complications. However, the predictive values of each of the tests, or even the combined results, were not significantly different from the frequency of complications among all the patients. It is concluded that the predictive values of perfusion- and ventilation scintigraphy, spirometry and radiogram of the chest are too low to be of any practical use.