[A retrospective survey of diagnostic techniques of pulmonary embolism in 13 general hospitals in Guangxi area].
OBJECTIVE
To survey different diagnostic techniques in diagnosing pulmonary embolism (PE).


METHODS
Hospital records of PE cases in 13 AAA general hospitals in Guangxi area from 1995 to 2007 were studied retrospectively. Probable PE was defined as the diagnosis based on the clinical data and non-specific imaging, while the definite PE was defined as those with the diagnosis confirmed by specific imaging or autopsy. The percentage of various diagnostic methods of PE was analyzed.


RESULTS
From 1995 to 2007, 237 definite PE and 223 probable PE were found in 13 hospitals, and they accounted for 51.52% and 48.48%, respectively, for all patients diagnosed as having PE. The percentage of definite PE cases during 1995-2001 and 2002-2007 were 14.63% and 55.13%, respectively (chi (2)=24.522, P<0.01). Among 237 definite PE, 2 positive diagnostic techniques were employed in 17 patients. Twenty-seven (11.39%), 214 (90.30%), 6 (2.53%), 5 (2.11%) and 2 (0.84%) patients were diagnosed by pulmonary angiography, CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA), ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and autopsy, respectively. No ventilation-perfusion lung scanning was performed in these patients. Compared with other diagnostic imaging, the percentage of CTPA in diagnosis of PE increased slightly since 2003.


CONCLUSIONS
CTPA is the first choice in the diagnosis of PE in Guangxi area, and more attention should be paid to other diagnostic imaging techniques.
Li
Dang-yu
DY
Department of Respiratory Disease, Nanxishan Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guilin 541002, Guangxi, China.
Qin
Zhi-qiang
ZQ
Tang
Su-lan
SL
Xu
Cheng-qiong
CQ
Liang
Shi-lian
SL
Deng
Jia-ning
JN
Zeng
Tong-hua
TH
Liu
Xue-guan
XG
Yang
Jie
J
Liu
Wei
W
Wang
Feng
F
Luo
Wei-gui
WG
Chen
Xian-yuan
XY
Long
Sheng-ze
SZ
D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods; D002681:China; D006801:Humans; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies