II. Indications
- Pulmonary Embolism Evaluation
III. Efficacy
- Test Sensitivity: 86% for central emboli
- Test Sensitivity: 63% for subsegmental vessels
IV. Precautions: Factors that degrade CT Quality (lower sensitivity)
- Increased Respiratory Rate
- Hides small basilar pulmonary emboli
-
Obesity
- Obscures general pulmonary vasculature
- Decreased Cardiac Output
V. Disadvantages
- Difficult to use if patient severely dyspneic
- Patient must hold breath for 15 to 30 seconds
- Misses small peripheral emboli
- However these may be clinically insignificant