title: Does addition of CT pelvic venography to CT pulmonary angiography protocols contribute to the diagnosis of thromboembolic disease?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the contribution which addition of pelvic computed tomography venography (CTV) to a standard CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) imaging protocol makes to a definitive diagnosis of thromboembolic disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and six consecutive patients over the age of 55 years referred for (CTPA) for suspected pulmonary embolism between June and November 1999 had pelvic CTV performed at the time of the CTPA study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-six of 106 CTPA studies were technically adequate. In total, 29/96 (29.6%) CTPA studies were positive for pulmonary embolism, 10/96 (10.4%) CTV studies were positive and five of these 10 examinations showed venous thrombus when the CTPA study was negative (n = 4) or equivocal (n = 1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Addition of CTV shows residual thrombus in the pelvis in a proportion of patients with positive CTPA studies and demonstrates venous thrombus in a small number of patients with no CT evidence of pulmonary embolism.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Imaging, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. cgwalsh@ozemail.com.au
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Redmond
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010388:Pelvis / Q000098:blood supply*; D010690:Phlebography / Q000379:methods; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*