Análisis del rol de la venografía de extremidades inferiores por tomografía computada en pacientes con sospecha clínica de tromboembolismo pulmonar

Abstract

Objectives. To determine the role of CT venography and identify variables that determine the diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of lower extremities in patients with clinical suspicion of PE, and who underwent chest CT angiography. Design. Retrospective group study that evaluated 151 patients in whom lower extremity venography- chest CT angiography was performed. Risk factors were tabulated - such as age, sex, department origin, risk of PE (according to Wells Criteria), previous Doppler ultraso- nography of lower extremities and their results, diagnosis and anatomical site of PE, and diagnosis and anatomical site of DVT according to the results obtained with the venography. Results. Complete data was available for 151 patients. 40 were positive for PE (26.5%) and 13 venographs were positive (8.6% of the total). The case origins were 41.7% from Emergency Department, 31.1% from ICU, 19.8% hospitalized (non-critical) and 7.2% from outpatient consultations. Of the variables studied, none resulted statistically significant for predicting the discovery of deep vein thrombosis in conjunction with CT pulmonary angio - graphy. In those patients with contemporary Doppler ultrasound, the CT venography did not provide new information from that already available. Conclusions. In this study we did not find variables that support a priori the realization of a venography phase in conjunction with chest CT angiogram when there is clinical suspicion of pulmonary embolism. Performing CT venography in patients with stable hemodynamics and suspected PE, would not be justified. Keywords: CT, CT venography, Pulmonary embolism.