VENOUS THROMBUS STIFFNESS IN COMBINATION OF PULMONARY EMBOLISM AND DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS OF THE LOWER EXTREMITIES (CLINICAL CASE)

Abstract

Many aspects of pulmonary embolism pathogenesis are still unclear: for example, what is the probability of pulmonary embolization in venous thrombosis and thrombi formation in the pulmonary artery in situ. The origin and timing of thromboemboli formation in the pulmonary artery are of great clinical importance for effective treatment and prognosis of pulmonary embolism outcome. The aim of the study was as part of clinical observation to compare the results of shear wave ultrasound elastography of a venous thrombus and the histological structure of blood clots in the lower extremity and the pulmonary artery obtained during a pathoanatomical examination. Research results. Patient Sh., 67 years old, was hospitalized with a diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. Ultrasound imaging visualized heterogeneous, predominantly hypoechoic non-occlusive thrombotic masses in the lumen of the posterior tibial vein of the left lower limb, extending into the lumen of the popliteal vein for 2 cm with an uneven "ragged" contour of the proximal part of the thrombus, without clear signs of flotation. Shear wave ultrasound elastography determined stiffness of the proximal part of the venous thrombus with an average Young's modulus of 8.5 kPa, which corresponds to the acute stage of thrombosis. Negative dynamics was observed after thrombolytic therapy. Computed tomography angiography of the cerebral vessels revealed signs of intracerebral hemorrhage. On the third day, the patient was pronounced dead. The pathological examination was supplemented with histological data from a fragment of a venous thrombus of the pulmonary artery and lower leg veins. The morphological characteristics of blood clots from the veins of the lower extremities and the pulmonary artery coincided, indicating their common origin and the time of formation (acute stage). Conclusion. A comparative analysis of ultrasound and pathoanatomical data of the clinical case give us the opportunity to recommend shear wave ultrasound elastography of venous thrombi of the lower extremities to assess the state of thromboembolism in the pulmonary artery.