[Diagnostic imaging in acute pulmonary embolism in Denmark. A survey].
BACKGROUND
Acute pulmonary embolism is a frequently occurring disease that is associated with a high mortality rate. Accurate diagnosis is essential, but the condition is often misdiagnosed. National and international guidelines do not agree on which imaging modality is preferable for making the diagnosis. Our objective was to determine what the diagnostic method of choice in Denmark is.


METHODS
We conducted a survey in 30 hospital departments in Denmark regarding the primary imaging procedure for patients with suspected pulmonary embolism. These departments represented various types of hospitals in all parts of Denmark but were otherwise randomly selected.


RESULTS
Twenty-seven departments responded. Approximately half of the departments used lung scintigraphy as the primary diagnostic test, one third used echocardiography and the rest used spiral computed tomography. This distribution was largely independent of the type of hospital and which modalities were available in a given hospital.


CONCLUSIONS
We found no coherence between the primary diagnostic modality of choice and other factors including hospital size, type and availability of diagnostic methods.
Madsen
Poul Henning
PH
Nuklearmedicinsk Afdeling, Odense Universitetshospital, DK-5000 Odense C.
Hess
Søren
S
Jørgensen
Henrik Boel
HB
Høilund-Carlsen
Poul Flemming
PF
D000208:Acute Disease; D003718:Denmark; D004452:Echocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed