ULTRASOUND AT SCINTIGRAPHIC INTERMEDIATE PROBABILITY OF PULMONARY-EMBOLISM

For diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE), ventilation/perfusion lung s cintigraphy is routinely used; approximately one-third of the patients will have the diagnosis ''intermediate probability of PE'' (inconclus ive). In this group only about 33% are found to have pulmonary emboli if examined with pulmonary angiography. To evaluate the diagnostic, th erapeutic, and economic consequences of ultrasound of the legs as a co mplementary diagnostic investigation to ''intermediate probability'', 72 consecutive patients were investigated with bilateral ultrasound of the proximal deep veins of the legs and pulmonary angiography in a pr ospective study. Ten patients had PE, of whom 7 had deep venous thromb osis, and 62 had no PE, of whom 2 had deep venous thrombosis. The nega tive predictive value of ultrasound was 0.95. In view of the importanc e of adequate treatment and rational use of public health care expendi ture. complementary diagnostics should be performed. and ultrasound is an adequate complementary investigation.