Triple rule-out CT in patients with suspicion of acute pulmonary embolism: findings and accuracy.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to prospectively investigate the diagnostic value of triple rule-out computed tomography (CT) in patients suspected of having acute pulmonary embolism (PE).


METHODS
A total of 125 patients with suspicion of PE, of whom 14 patients had the additional clinical suspicion of acute aortic syndrome, underwent electrocardiogram-gated triple rule-out dual-source CT. The contrast media application protocol was adjusted to obtain a homogenous attenuation of the pulmonary arteries, thoracic aorta, and coronary arteries. The diagnostic performance of triple rule-out CT was assessed by using adjudicated discharge diagnoses as reference standards.


RESULTS
A total of 161 adjudicated cardiovascular discharge diagnoses were made in the 125 patients (including all true-positive and true-negative findings): acute PE was found in 26 (21%) and was excluded by CT in 99 (79%), coronary artery disease was found in 3 (3%) and was excluded by catheter angiography in 9 (6%), left ventricular systolic dysfunction was found in 2 (2%) and was excluded by echocardiography in 8 (6%), and acute aortic syndrome was found in 5 (4%) and was excluded by CT in 9 (7%) patients. Nonvascular chest disease was found in 34 (27%) and included pneumonia (n = 17), neoplasms (n = 5), fractures/osteolysis (n = 3), pericarditis (n = 2), and post-pneumonectomy syndrome (n = 1). Triple rule-out CT was normal in 53 (42%) patients. Overall sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value of triple rule-out CT for cardiovascular disease were 100% (95% confidence interval [CI] 90-100%), 98% (95%CI 94-100%), 95% (95%CI 82-99%), and 100% (95%CI 97-100%, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Triple rule-out CT is feasible in patients with suspicion of PE, reveals a wide range of vascular and non-vascular chest disease, and offers an excellent overall diagnostic performance.
Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
Thomas
T
Schertler
Thomas
T
Frauenfelder
Paul
P
Stolzmann
Hans
H
Scheffel
Lotus
L
Desbiolles
Borut
B
Marincek
Vladimir
V
Kaplan
Nils
N
Kucher
Hatem
H
Alkadhi
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*