role of multi-detector CT pulmonary angiography in the diagnosis of clinically suspected acute pulmonary embolism

ABSTRACT

Our purpose was to review the utility of multi-detector Computed Tomography pulmonary angiography in positive diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism and prove the importance of negative CT findings for excluding the clinically suspected pulmonary embolism. Our study included 72 patients clinically suspected to have acute pulmonary embolism [clinical suspicious was based on physical examination, ECG findings and high plasma D-dimmer concentration]. Al/patients underwent MDCT pulmonary angiography within the 1st 48 hours of the attack. CT diagnosis of FE was positive in 36% of clinically suspected cases, indeterminate for FE in 6.9% and negative for FE in 56.9% of our cases. MDCT is an occurate non invasive imaging modality for the diagnosis of pulmonary emboli. The negative predictive values of normal CT study is high and appear to be reliable for excluding clinical suspected FE, so CT provide an important information for the final diagnosis and exclusion of FE in clinical suspected patient who has no pulmonary emboli