title: Diagnostic Value of Dual-Source Computerized Tomography Combined with Perfusion Imaging for Peripheral Pulmonary Embolism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pulmonary embolism has become the third most common cardiovascular disease, which can seriously harm human health.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the diagnostic value of dual-source computerized tomography (CT) and perfusion imaging for peripheral pulmonary embolism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two patients with suspected pulmonary embolism underwent dual-source CT exams. To compare the ability of pulmonary embolism detection software (PED) with CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) in determining the presence, numbers, and locations of pulmonary emboli, the subsequent images were reviewed by two radiologists using both imaging modalities. Also, the diagnostic consistency between PED and CTPA images and dual-energy pulmonary perfusion imaging (DEPI) for segmental pulmonary embolism was compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CTPA images revealed 50 (7.81%) segmental and 56 (4.38%) sub-segmental pulmonary embolisms, while the PED images showed 68 (10.63%) segmental and 94 (7.34%) sub-segmental pulmonary embolisms. Thus, the detection rate on PED images for peripheral pulmonary embolism was significantly higher than that of the CTPA images (P < 0.05). There was good consistency for diagnosing segmental pulmonary embolism between PED and CTPA and DEPI (kappa = 0.85). The sensitivity and specificity of DEPI images for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism were 91.7% and 97.5%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PED software of dual-source CT combined with perfusion imaging can significantly improve the detection rate of peripheral pulmonary embolism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China; Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical College, Binzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xijin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical College, Binzhou, China.
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical College, Binzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xingyue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical College, Binzhou, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Wenjian
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
keywords: Dual-Source CT; Perfusion Imaging; Peripheral Pulmonary Embolism; Pulmonary Embolism Detection Software