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Spiral computed tomography of pulmonary embolism

Dept of Radiology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

CORRESPONDENCE: C.J. Herold, Dept of Radiology, University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18–20, A-1090, Vienna, Austria. Fax: 43 1404004894. E-mail: christian.herold@akh-wien.ac.at

Keywords: computed tomography, computed tomography angiography, pulmonary embolism, venous thromboembolism

Received: October 22, 2001
Accepted October 23, 2001

Within the last several years, spiral computed tomography angiography (SCTA) of the pulmonary arteries has emerged as a noninvasive angiographic modality for the evaluation of patients with suspected pulmonary embolism (PE). SCTA is based on continuous computed tomography (CT) data acquisition during patient transport through the rotating X-ray tube and detector system, where scanning is performed in the time period in which the injected contrast material passes through the pulmonary arteries. Single detector spiral CT has a sensitivity of 85–90% and a specificity between 88–95%. Sensitivity and specificity are very likely to increase with the use of multidetector spiral CT scanners that allow scanning of large lung volumes with a scan collimation as narrow as 1 mm.

Currently, SCTA is most commonly used as a primary imaging method in patients with suspected PE, and as a second-line method in cases with inconclusive ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy results. SCTA has proven to be cost-effective, especially in combination with ultrasound of the lower extremities.

Limitations of the method include a decreased sensitivity for the detection of small isolated clots in the peripheral pulmonary arterial bed, and a potentially reduced image quality in patients with coexistent cardiopulmonary disorders.

Despite these limitations, several studies have now documented that, in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism, it is safe to withhold anticoagulation therapy if a spiral computed tomography exam of the pulmonary arteries is negative and no lower extremity venous thrombosis is present. In the future, multislice computed tomography scanning of the pulmonary arteries with multiplanar reformation and one-stop shopping, i.e. scanning of the pulmonary arteries and the lower extremity veins in a single session, will further enhance the role of computed tomography angiography in the examination of patients with suspected pulmonary embolism.

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