title: Pulmonary cement embolism after pedicle screw vertebral stabilization.
abstract: Pulmonary arterial embolization of polymethylmethacrylate cement, most usually occurring after vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty, is very uncommon following vertebral stabilization procedures. Unenhanced CT scans viewed at lung window settings allow confident identification of cement emboli in the pulmonary circulation along with possible associate parenchymal changes, whereas hyperdense emboli may be less conspicuous on CT-angiographic studies with high-flow contrast medium injection. Although clinical manifestations are largely variable from asymptomatic cases to severe respiratory distress, most cases are treated with anticoagulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, "Luigi Sacco" University Hospital, Via G. B. Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tonolini
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bianco