title: Dissecting aortic aneurysm mimicking massive pulmonary embolism.
abstract: The finding of a massive unilateral segmental defect with normal ventilation upon lung scanning does not always secure the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolus. We present a patient whose ventilation-perfusion lung scan suggested a significant embolic phenomenon, but who was subsequently found to have compression of her right pulmonary artery by a dissecting aortic aneurysm. Conditions that present with a unilateral perfusion defect merit further evaluation with pulmonary arteriography.
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory and Environmental Medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine, KY 40292.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ossorio
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: O'Grady
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Fields
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000473:pathology; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis*