Evaluation of pulmonary artery flow in acute massive pulmonary thromboembolism with MRI / 中华放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To probe into the value of MR imaging in evaluating the pulmonary artery hemodynamics and pulmonary artery pressure in acute massive pulmonary embolism.Methods MR studies were performed in 21 patients with acute massive pulmonary embolism (diagnosed by contrast enhanced MR pulmonary angiography) and 20 healthy volunteers. The pulmonary artery hemodynamic parameters, such as the diameters of main and right pulmonary artery, peak velocity, average velocity, flow volume, flow patterns, and ejection acceleration time in main pulmonary artery were measured. The findings in patients and volunteers were compared. The hemodynamic parameters in patients were correlated with mean pulmonary artery pressure acquired with right heart catheterization.Results The diameters of main pulmonary artery (2.93 vs 2.52 cm) and right pulmonary artery (2.49 vs 1.92 cm) in patients and volunteers showed significant differences (t=3.55, P