الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract There is a greater variability of the pulmonary venous drainage than previously appreciated, with greater variability of the right-sided venous drainage compared to the left –sided venous drainage. There is significant variability in pulmonary vein ostial diameters, and distance to first bifurcation, with greatest variation in the ostial diameters of the superior pulmonary veins. Inferior pulmonary vein ostial diameters in men were significantly larger than in women, but superior pulmonary vein and middle lobe vein ostial diameters were similar in men and women The combination of MDCT and volume- rendering techniques post-processing provides higher-quality data sets and a method fully to harness the potential for image display and interpretation. The PIOPED investigators recommend stratification of all patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism according to an objective probability assessment. A negative D-dimer ELISA result with a low or moderate probability clinical assessment can safely exclude pulmonary embolism . If pulmonary embolism is not excluded, CT angiography and venography is recommended by 77% of the PIOPED II investigators, although CT angiography alone in an option. In patients with discordant findings at clinical assessment and CT imaging, further evaluation depends on clinical judgement. |