title: Investigating for pulmonary embolism in pregnancy: Five year retrospective review of referrals to the acute medical unit of a large teaching hospital.
abstract: This was a retrospective review of five years' data relating to patients referred to the Acute Medical Unit (AMU) of a large teaching hospital with suspected Pulmonary Embolism (PE) during pregnancy or 6 weeks postpartum. During this period, 210 patients in this group underwent half-dose perfusion scanning as investigation for possible PE and were managed via our ambulatory pathway. Pulmonary embolism was diagnosed in 5.2% of patients compared to 18% of non-pregnant patients identified in a previous audit. Half-dose Q scanning enabled exclusion of PE in almost 90% of patients without the need for further imaging. A new local pathway for the investigation and management of PE during pregnancy has now been developed.
authors.affiliation: Consultant Acute Physician, West Suffolk Hospital, Hardwick Lane, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 2QZ.
authors.forename: Elizabeth Janette
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.affiliation: Consultant Acute Physician and Endocrinologist, James Paget University, Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
authors.forename: Alistair Quentin
authors.initials: AQ
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: MBBS, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
authors.forename: Jennifer Ann
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.affiliation: Anaesthetics SpR. MBBS, FRCA. West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust.
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nash
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000379:methods; D019091:Critical Pathways / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D055420:Perfusion Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000175:diagnosis; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000494:pharmacology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals