Chang Hsu-Chao, Yang Mei-Chen
Department of Radiology, Taipei Tzu-Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu-Chi Medical Foundation, No. 289, Jianguo Rd, Xindian Dist, New Taipei City, 23143, Taiwan.
School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
BMC Med Imaging. 2018 Jan 27;18(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s12880-018-0245-9.
Systemic air embolism is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of percutaneous computed tomography (CT)-guided lung biopsy. The incidence might be underestimated because of failure to diagnose this adverse event in asymptomatic patients; early recognition is difficult.
We report the case of a 73-year-old man with systemic air embolism, a complication of percutaneous CT-guided lung biopsy, due to a kink in the coaxial biopsy system. Serial post-procedure CT scans demonstrated the causal relationship.
Sequential post-biopsy CT scans demonstrated a causal relationship between this systemic air embolism and percutaneous biopsy, and allowed the radiologist to track the course of the emboli and their resolution. Awareness of air entry via the introducer needle and an early post-biopsy CT scan are crucial for early detection of systemic air embolism. If air embolism occurs in an asymptomatic patient, we recommend performing a delayed chest CT scan to follow the air's course.
系统性空气栓塞是经皮计算机断层扫描（CT）引导下肺活检的一种罕见但可能危及生命的并发症。由于未能在无症状患者中诊断出这一不良事件，其发生率可能被低估；早期识别较为困难。
我们报告了一名73岁男性发生系统性空气栓塞的病例，这是经皮CT引导下肺活检的并发症，原因是同轴活检系统出现扭结。术后系列CT扫描显示了因果关系。
活检后序贯CT扫描显示了这种系统性空气栓塞与经皮活检之间的因果关系，并使放射科医生能够追踪栓子的进程及其消散情况。意识到通过穿刺针进入空气以及活检后早期进行CT扫描对于早期检测系统性空气栓塞至关重要。如果无症状患者发生空气栓塞，我们建议进行延迟胸部CT扫描以追踪空气的进程。
