title: Thoracic imaging features of patients with antiphospholipid antibodies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to determine the thoracic manifestations of patients with antiphospholipid antibodies (APAs).
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective review of the clinical records and thoracic imaging studies of 88 patients (63 women, 25 men; mean age 47 years) with APAs to determine the spectrum of thoracic disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine patients (10%) had thoracic abnormalities, including eight with pulmonary embolism (PE) and one with aortic thrombus. One patient with PE had subclavian vein thrombosis. Coexistent thromboses included deep venous thrombosis of the leg in six patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PE was the most common thoracic abnormality in our patients. The presence of these antibodies should be suspected in patients with PE of otherwise unexplained etiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Gilkeson
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Patz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Culhane
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: McAdams
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Provenzale
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000097:blood; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid