title: Prediction of moderate or severe pulmonary hypertension by main pulmonary artery diameter and main pulmonary artery diameter/ascending aorta diameter in pulmonary embolism.
abstract: We investigated the accuracy of computed tomographic measurements of main pulmonary artery diameter (MPAD) and of MPAD/ascending aorta diameter (AAD) in predicting moderate or severe pulmonary hypertension in 190 patients with acute pulmonary embolism. A pulmonary artery systolic pressure of > or = 50 mm Hg measured by Doppler echocardiography was considered moderate or severe pulmonary hypertension. A MPAD of > 28.6 mm and a MPAD/AAD ratio of > or = 1.00 measured by computed tomography were considered abnormal. A MPAD of > 28.6 mm had a 75% sensitivity and specificity, a 52% positive predictive value, a 89% negative predictive value, a 3.0 likelihood ratio for a positive test, and a 0.33 likelihood ratio for a negative test in predicting moderate or severe pulmonary hypertension. A MPAD/AAD ratio of > or = 1.00 had a 59% sensitivity, a 82% specificity, a 55% positive predictive value, a 84% negative predictive value, a 3.3 likelihood ratio for a positive test, and a 0.50 likelihood ratio for a negative test.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Westchester Medical Center/New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York.
authors.forename: Shirin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sanal
authors.forename: Wilbert S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Aronow
authors.forename: Gautham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ravipati
authors.forename: George P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Maguire
authors.forename: Robert N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Belkin
authors.forename: Stuart G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Lehrman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed