Study on the measurement of cardiac CT in patients with acute pulmonary embolism

Abstract

Objective To measure and analyze cardiac ventricular sizes of acute pulmonary embolism patients, and compared with normal group, to investigate the morphological changes of heart in patients with acute pulmonary embolism. Methods 75 patients with acute pulmonary embolism were analyzed retrospectively and were divided into two groups according to the score of embolism index: more than or equal to 50% (group c, 33 cases) and less than 50% (group b, 42cases) and compared with normal group (group a, 56 cases) to analyze the changes of cardiac ventricular transversal diameter(LR) and anteroposterior diameter (AP). Results The group c compared with group a and b, the right ventricular LR and AP, and the right atrium LR increased significantly (P 0.05). After the treatment of acute pulmonary embolism, the right ventricular RL×AP is significantly reduced(4 209.57±844.63 vs 5 090.58±1312.69, P=0.002), the ventricle ratio (RV/LV) is significantly reduced(0.80±0.13 vs 0.93±0.19, P=0.003. Conclusions The size and shape of heart cavity varied with different pulmonary embolism index, and we can make preliminary observation and evaluate treatment efficacy by using chest CT scan. Key words: Tomography, X-ray computed; Acute; Pulmonary embolism; Embolism index; Right ventricle; Left ventricle; Right atrium; Left atrium; Measurement