The value of bedside wedge pulmonary angiography in the detection of pulmonary emboli: a predictive and prospective evaluation.
A predictive study involving 74 unequivocally positive conventional pulmonary angiograms was conducted to determine the value of bedside, flow-directed wedge pulmonary angiography (BWPA). The flow-directed position of Swan-Ganz catheters in these cases was obtained from anteroposterior chest radiographs. BWPA could detect the embolism in 48% of the cases in which the right lower lobe alone was embolized, in 10% of the cases in which the left lower lobe alone was embolized, and in 30% of the cases in which both lower lobes were embolized. It is concluded that BWPA has a low sensitivity and specificity and is of little value as either a screening procedure or a diagnostic tool.
D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods; D002404:Catheterization; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*