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Occult pulmonary embolism: a common occurrence in deep venous thrombosis

Journal Article · · AJR, Am. J. Roentgenol.; (United States)
Ventilation-perfusion scans were used in a prospective study to determine the prevalence of occult pulmonary embolus in proven deep venous thrombosis. Fifty-eight patients without symptoms of pulmonary embolism, but with venographically proven deep venous thrombosis, were subjected to chest radiographs, /sup 99m/Tc macroaggregated-albumin perfusion scans, and /sup 133/Xe ventilation scans. Of the 49 patients with deep venous thrombosis proximal to the calf veins, 17 (35%) had high-probability scans. Of all 58 patients, only 12 (21%) had normal scans. When the study population was compared with a group of 430 patients described in reports of pulmonary perfusion in asymptomatic persons, a significantly higher percentage of high-probability scans was found in the study population with deep venous thrombosis. Baseline ventilation-perfusion lung scanning is valuable for patients with proven above-knee deep venous thrombosis.
Research Organization:
Brown Univ. Program in Medicine, Providence, RI
OSTI ID:
7091264
Journal Information:
AJR, Am. J. Roentgenol.; (United States), Journal Name: AJR, Am. J. Roentgenol.; (United States) Vol. 2; ISSN AAJRD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English