Rapid and accurate diagnosis of pulmonary embolism will improvesurvival and quality of life because treatment decreases mortalityand the likelihood that thromboembolic pulmonary hypertensionor the post-thrombotic syndrome will develop. The paramountchallenge is to consider pulmonary embolism as a diagnosticpossibility and therefore order the appropriate diagnostic testsand institute timely and effective therapy.
Computed tomographic (CT) scanning of the chest has revolutionizedour diagnostic approach to suspected pulmonary embolism. Ventilationperfusionlung scanning used to be the pivotal imaging test, but the lungscan was problematic because it rarely provided a definitive"high probability" or "normal" result. Its . . . [Full Text of this Article]
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From the Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston.
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