Yield of CT pulmonary angiography in the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism: short report

Zhongyi Chen,Manel Sadouni,Kevin Toporowicz,Luigi Lepanto,Marie-Odile Francoeur,Simon Deblois,Carl Chartrand-Lefebvre,Irina Boldeanu

doi:10.1186/s13104-019-4076-8

Abstract

ObjectiveTo assess computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) positive yield rate for pulmonary embolism (PE) in a Canadian academic tertiary center.ResultsThis one-center retrospective cross-sectional study includes from 5565 (model 1) to 5296 (model 2) patients that were evaluated for suspected PE in 2015, among which 1331 (23.9% (model 1) to 25.1% (model 2)) underwent CTPA. Mean age of CTPA patients was 60.2 ± 16.6 years, of which 575 were males (43.2%). Two hundred eleven CTPA examinations were positive for PE, giving a CTPA positive yield rate of 15.9% (95% CI (13.93–17.87)). One hundred and thirteen (8.1%) CTPA were considered indeterminate, and eleven were considered nondiagnostic (0.8%). Among the 211 CTPA positive for PE, 67 (32%) were proximal emboli, 98 (47%) were segmental emboli and 44 (21%%) were subsegmental emboli. In conclusion, in this retrospective study done in a Canadian academic tertiary center, we report a positive rate of 15.9% for PE detection with CTPA, which is above the generally accepted lower threshold of 10% for the yield of CTPA.

Highlights

ResultsThis one-center retrospective cross-sectional study includes from 5565 (model 1) to 5296 (model 2) patients that were evaluated for suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) in 2015, among which 1331 (23.9% (model 1) to 25.1% (model 2)) underwent computed tomography angiography (CTPA)
In the recent years, the increasing use of pulmonary computed tomography angiography (CTPA) in the evaluation of suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) has raised the issue of overuse
Two hundred eleven CTPA examinations were positive for PE, giving a CTPA positive yield rate of 15.9% (95% CI (13.93–17.87))

Summary

Results

From 5565 (model 1) to 5296 (model 2) patients were evaluated for suspected PE in the CHUM in 2015, among which 1331 (23.9% (model 1) to 25.1% (model 2)) underwent CTPA. Mean age of CTPA patients was 60.2 ± 16.6 years, of which 575 were males (43.2%). Two hundred eleven CTPA examinations were positive for PE, giving a CTPA positive yield rate of 15.9% (95% CI (13.93–17.87)). One hundred and thirteen (8.1%) CTPA were considered indeterminate, and eleven were considered nondiagnostic (0.8%). Among the 211 CTPA positive for PE, 67 (32%) were proximal emboli, 98 (47%) were segmental emboli and 44 (21%%) were subsegmental emboli (Table 2)

Introduction

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Discussion

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