Clinical value of thin collimation in the diagnostic workup of pulmonary embolism.
OBJECTIVE
We report our experience with thin-collimation helical CT in a population of patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism.


CONCLUSIONS
Thin-collimation helical CT provided technically acceptable examinations for pulmonary embolism in 360 patients (97%). In this population, CT revealed pulmonary embolism in 104 patients (29%), negative findings in 217 patients (59%), indeterminate findings in 39 patients (10%), and alternative diagnoses in 65% of patients with negative or inconclusive findings. Ventilation-perfusion scanning and Doppler sonography of the lower extremities were performed in 158 (44%) and 133 patients (37%), respectively, whereas pulmonary angiography was performed in 27 patients (7.5%). The estimated false-negative rate of helical CT was 5%.
Department of Thoracic Imaging, Hospital Calmette, Lille Cedex, France.
M
M
Remy-Jardin
J
J
Remy
F
F
Baghaie
M
M
Fribourg
D
D
Artaud
A
A
Duhamel
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods