ACUTE PULMONARY-EMBOLISM - IS THERE AN UN IVERSAL DIAGNOSTIC MANAGEMENT

In this review, we demonstrate that there is no universal diagnostic s trategy for non-severe acute pulmonary embolism. The first part of the article is devoted to the concept of thromboembolic disease: its freq uency, severity and diagnostic difficulties. The second part analyzes the tools used for diagnosis of pulmonary angiography, noninvasive ven ous studies, and helical CT angiography. The last part discusses curre nt diagnostic algorithms for pulmonary embolism and the changes that m ay be introduced by the use of helical CT in clinical practice. The po tential for MR imaging id discussed.