[Roentgenosemeiotics of thromboembolism of the pulmonary artery].

The study is based on data of radiopaque investigation of pulmonary vessels in 400 patients with pulmonary arterial thromboembolism. A retrospective assessment of noncontrast chest roentgenograms was carried out in 200 of those. Conventional pulmonary roentgenology was shown to be a fairly unreliable tool of the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism owing to low specificity of the symptoms. Only arterial filling defects and "amputations" may be regarded as specific angiographic signs of thromboembolism. The value of indirect angiographic symptoms was demonstrated. Angiographic semiotics of embolism was studied with reference to the duration of the affection. Vascular filling defects and stenoses are angiographic markers of prolonged presence of thromboemboli in pulmonary arteries.