Final answer:
A respiratory therapist should report an elevated QS/QT (ventilation/perfusion ratio) indicative of a pulmonary embolism, as it suggests a ventilation/perfusion mismatch which is a characteristic feature of this condition.
Step-by-step explanation:
A respiratory therapist should report a QS/QT (ventilation/perfusion ratio) indicative of a pulmonary embolism in a patient with acute dyspnea. Pulmonary embolism is one of the conditions that can cause a ventilation/perfusion mismatch, leading to areas of the lung that are well perfused but poorly ventilated due to obstruction in the pulmonary vasculature. While the other values provided (VD/VT, CL, RAW) are important in assessing lung function, they do not specifically indicate a pulmonary embolism as effectively as a ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) mismatch.
Option B. VD/VT of 60% refers to the ratio of dead space ventilation to tidal volume, which is usually elevated in conditions of impaired ventilation, but is not specific to pulmonary embolism. CL of 60 mL/cm H2O refers to compliance of the lung, and RAW of 2.4 cm H2O/L/sec refers to airway resistance. While these can be altered in various lung conditions, they cannot definitively diagnose a pulmonary embolism.
The correct answer to report would be A. QS/QT of 10% if it is abnormally elevated, which may suggest the presence of a pulmonary embolism.