Teigen C L, Maus T P, Sheedy P F, Johnson C M, Stanson A W, Welch T J
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905.
Radiology. 1993 Sep;188(3):839-45. doi: 10.1148/radiology.188.3.8351359.
Contrast material-enhanced electron-beam computed tomography (CT) (100-msec scan time) was performed to image the pulmonary vasculature in 86 patients, each suspected of having a pulmonary embolism (PE). Thromboembolic material was demonstrated in 39 patients; no emboli were demonstrated in 47. In 25 patients, angiographic or pathologic proof was available. There were 19 proved positive CT scans, four proved negative scans, one false-negative scan, and one false-positive scan. In the 21 patients with CT and angiographic correlation, evidence of thromboembolic disease was seen in 88 vascular zones. Fifty-three zones were positive for PE at both CT and angiography. Eighteen zones were positive for PE at angiography alone, and 17 zones were positive at CT alone. Electron-beam CT is a potentially effective noninvasive means of diagnosing PE.
