Helical CT for the evaluation of acute pulmonary embolism

AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2005 Jul;185(1):135-49. doi: 10.2214/ajr.185.1.01850135.

Abstract

Objective: In this article, we review the current role of CT pulmonary angiography and indirect CT venography for the evaluation of pulmonary thromboembolic disease.

Conclusion: With advances in MDCT technology, evaluation of pulmonary thromboembolic disease can now be performed with combined CT pulmonary angiography and CT venography as a "one-stop-shopping" test. CT pulmonary angiography is cost-effective, is accurate, has high interobserver agreement, and has an added advantage of detecting other life-threatening diseases in the chest that mimic pulmonary embolism.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Angiography
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Observer Variation
  • Phlebography
  • Pulmonary Artery / diagnostic imaging
  • Pulmonary Embolism / diagnosis
  • Pulmonary Embolism / diagnostic imaging*
  • Radiation Dosage
  • Radionuclide Imaging
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Tomography, Spiral Computed*
  • Ventilation-Perfusion Ratio