CLINICAL UTILITY OF COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF PULMONARY-EMBOLISM

This prospective clinical pilot study describes the clinical utility a nd cost effectiveness of computed tomography (CT) with contrast in the diagnosis and management of pulmonary embolism. The setting is a univ ersity teaching hospital, and the 20 patients, 26 to 81 years old, wer e found to have CT findings consistent with pulmonary embolism, Intral uminal pulmonary artery clots were observed on CT and contributed to c linical management, often obviating pulmonary arteriography. CT, parti cularly spiral CT, may demonstrate pulmonary embolism and offers advan tages over ventilation-perfusion lung scanning and pulmonary arteriogr aphy in making the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in high-risk patien ts or patients with preexisting parenchymal lung disease, (C) Elsevier Science Inc., 1997.