Lung sonographic findings in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the feasibility and diagnostic performance of lung transthoracic sonography in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism.


METHODS
In a prospective clinical study we compared sonographic findings of the peripheral lung with various scintigraphic gradings and D-dimer plasma concentrations. One hundred and nineteen consecutive patients with clinical signs of pulmonary embolism were investigated within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms.


RESULTS
Seventy patients with suspected pulmonary embolism (59%) had sonographic lesions, which were echo poor, homogeneous and rounded or wedge-shaped with a hyperechoic reflexion in the centre. Of the patients with high-probability scintigraphic scans 86% had such sonographic lesions as had 79% with intermediate, 64% with low-probability and 33% with normal scintigraphic scans. Of the patients with positive sonographic findings and normal or low-probability scans only a minority (14%) had negative D-dimer tests.


CONCLUSIONS
We found a high rate of specific sonographic lesions in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism when investigating the peripheral lung with ultrasound.
Lechleitner
P
P
Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital Lienz, Austria.
Raneburger
W
W
Gamper
G
G
Riedl
B
B
Benedikt
E
E
Theurl
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography