title: CT findings and long-term mortality after pulmonary embolism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The utility of CT findings in predicting long-term mortality in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is unknown. The purpose of this study is to retrospectively determine whether three CT findings--increased embolic burden, interventricular septal bowing toward the left ventricle, and right ventricle-to-left ventricle (RV/LV) diameter ratio greater than 1--are independent predictors of long-term all-cause mortality after acute PE.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1105 patients (47% female; mean age, 63 ± 16 years) with CT scans positive for PE from January 1, 1997, to December 31, 2002, were included. Scans were independently interpreted by two observers, with a third independent observer reviewing discrepant cases. CT findings and clinical information were compared with all-cause mortality using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median duration of survival was 6.2 years following acute PE, with estimated 10-year survival of 37.4%. CT-derived embolic burden was associated with a very small decrease in long-term all-cause mortality in both univariate (hazard ratio [HR], 0.97; p < 0.001) and multivariate (HR, 0.97; p < 0.001) analyses. Interventricular septal bowing and RV/LV diameter ratio were not significantly associated with long-term all-cause mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CT findings are not predictive of decreased long-term survival after acute PE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Bruce A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Gotway
authors.forename: Kristine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Thomsen
authors.forename: W Scott
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Harmsen
authors.forename: Philip A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Araoz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media