Category: Vascular
Keywords: PE, Pulmonary Embolism (PubMed Search)
Posted: 1/14/2008 by Rob Rogers, MD
(Updated: 12/4/2024)
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Optimal pulmonary artery opacification for detecting pulmonary embolism-how good was the CT you ordered?
The PE literature is pretty clear about one thing: a CT with well-timed opacification of the pulmonary arteries is very sensitive for detecting pulmonary embolism. This means that there needs to be enough contrast in the central pulmonary arteries to be able to detect clot. So how can you be really sure the PE Protocol CT you ordered is adequate? Have you really ruled out PE?
What does this mean for the emergency physician?
Some predict that in the future WE (the emergency physician) may in fact be held accountable for knowing whether or not a CTPA (CT Pulmonary Angiography) is optimal or not.
References:
(1) Kline-Carolinas Medical Center (2) Journal of Thrombosis and Hemostasis 2007 (3) AJR 2006,2007