CT venography versus doppler ultrasonography in suspected pulmonary embolism among acute exacerbation COPD patients

ABSTRACT

Pulmonary embolism [PE] and deep venous thrombosis [DVT] are different aspects of the same disease [VTE]. Variable diagnostic approaches have been used to diagnose VTE. However the latency, lack of accuracy and the recorded complications necessitate a rapid, safe and accurate procedure for the diagnosis. The primary aim of this study was to determine if CTV offers an accurate alternative to venous ultrasonography as a first line evaluation for DVT in the patients present with AECOPD with suspected PE as a single technique. Thirty-three patients presented with AECOPD were included in this study. All patients were undergoing spiral CT pulmonary angiography for the evaluation of PE. CTV was performed 3 minutes after initiation of the contrast bolus infusion and compared with Doppler ultrasonography of the lower extremities. The presence of PE or deep venous thrombosis [DVT] was recorded for all patients. The addition of CT venography to CT pulmonary angiography increases the detection rate of thromboembolic disease by 30%. This study support the use of CTV after spiral CT pulmonary angiography as an alternative to Doppler ultrasonography of the lower limbs in AECOPD patients presenting with suspected pulmonary embolism