A nuclear scan of the lung, called a ventilation-perfusion scan (VQ scan), can detect most cases of pulmonary embolism.

This test offers the advantage of being less invasive than pulmonary angiography and thus, presents less risk for complications.

During VQ scanning, radioactive material is injected into the bloodstream and inhaled in a mixture of air. Afterward, images of the lungs are taken with a gamma camera.