title: Clinical utility of computed tomography in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism.
abstract: This prospective clinical pilot study describes the clinical utility and cost effectiveness of computed tomography (CT) with contrast in the diagnosis and management of pulmonary embolism. The setting is a university teaching hospital, and the 20 patients, 26 to 81 years old, were found to have CT findings consistent with pulmonary embolism. Intraluminal pulmonary artery clots were observed on CT and contributed to clinical management, often obviating pulmonary arteriography. CT, particularly spiral CT, may demonstrate pulmonary embolism and offers advantages over ventilation-perfusion lung scanning and pulmonary arteriography in making the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in high-risk patients or patients with preexisting parenchymal lung disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York, USA.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Russi
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Libby
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Henschke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007472:Iohexol; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D007472:Iohexol