Shunt Calculation (assessment of Right to Left Shunting)Adult
Useful Management Information
A shunt is the portion of the cardiac output that passes from one side of the heart to the other without participating in gas exchange. In healthy people it is equivalent to approximately 5% or less of the cardiac output. In disease, right to left shunting of blood may be much larger. The shunt calculation determines the ratio of shunted blood to total perfusion and is reported as a percent of total cardiac output.
Indications:
- To determine whether right-to-left shunting is the cause of low oxygen in arterial blood (hypoxaemia).
- Liver transplant work up.
The test is contraindicated in patients for whom administration of high-dose oxygen therapy is contraindicated (i.e. prior exposure to Bleomcyin).
Minimum Referral Criteria
| Category Category 1 ((appointment within 30 calendar days)) |
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| Category Category 2 ((appointment within 90 calendar days)) |
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| Category Category 3 ((appointment within 365 calendar days)) |
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Essential Referral Information
- Reason for referral - what is the clinical question to be answered by performing the test?
- Infectious status
If a specific test result is unable to be obtained due to access, financial, religious, cultural or consent reasons a Clinical Override may be requested. This reason must be clearly articulated in the body of the referral.
Additional Referral Information
- No additional referral information
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Internal Referrals
Lung Function Lab (E-Blueslips)
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Post
Lung Function Lab
Gold Coast University Hospital
1 Hospital Boulevard
Southport QLD 4215
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If you would like to send a named referral, please address it to the specialist listed above, who will allocate a suitably qualified specialist to see the patient. Alternatively, you can view a full list of our specialists.