title: Iatrogenic and fatal arterial air embolism during the CT scan.
abstract: Systemic and fatal arterial air embolism during the computed tomography (CT) scan is rarely reported in English-based literature. Iatrogenic air embolism happening during the CT scan is often related to the injector, usually venous air embolism and asymptomatic. We report one fatal and extensive systemic arterial air embolism because of one error that happened during a brain CT scan. The mechanism is different from the reported cases in the literature. The possible mechanism and pathogenesis are well discussed to alert clinicians and prevent the recurrence of such complication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Ming-Shiang
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Tzu-Hsien
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chang-Hsien
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Si-Wa
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Tai-I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chung-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Yung-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Tung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004618:Embolism, Air / Q000209:etiology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000009:adverse effects*