Current strategies for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolus.
Venous thromboembolic disease (VTD), comprising venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolus, is responsible for innumerable deaths every day. Wide variance in its presentation and clinical manifestations and the resultant difficulties in achieving its diagnosis have confounded attempts to define optimal diagnostic and treatment strategies. Those strategies should be predicated on the understanding of the manifestations of VTD and of the attributes and interrelationship of the various modalities available for its diagnosis. This review will present an overview of the literature describing those modalities, their strengths and deficiencies, and their current value in algorithms for the diagnosis of VTD.
Johnson
Matthew S
MS
Department of Radiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indiana University Hospital, Room 0279, 550 North University Boulevard, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202-5253, USA. matjohns@iupui.edu
D000465:Algorithms; D000792:Angiography / Q000009:adverse effects; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014463:Ultrasonography; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D