CTPA in evaluating the degree of acute pulmonary obstruction and effect of treatment
ZHOU Xin1, WU Zhi-feng2, ZHOU Xu3
1. Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China;2. Department of CT, the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China;3. Department of CT, Sanyuan Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang Shaanxi 713800, China
Abstract：Objective: To explore the value of CTPA in grading the severity of acute pulmonary embolism(PE) and to investigate the change of the cardiovascular parameters before and after treatment. Method: 152 cases of clinical suspicion of PE, included 118 cases explored by CTPA were studied. The patients were separated into three different groups according to clinical severity and treatment decision: included patients without PE(WPE)(n=40); included patients with severe PE(group SPE) who were treated by fibrinolysis(n=42); and included patients with non-severe PE(group NSPE) who received heparin(n=36); then reviewed the results of CTPA after the treatment of 14 days. With the diagnosis of CTPA as a basis, we analyzed the difference of cardiovascular parameters among the three groups; analyzed the obstruction index between group SPE and group NSPE, the correlation between obstruction index and cardiovascular parameters; explored the difference of cardiovascular parameters before and after treatment for PE. Result: CT obstruction index in patients with SPE was higher than that of patients with NSPE. The cardiovascular parameters in patients of the three groups, showed significant difference. The correlation between CT obstruction indexes and cardiovascular parameters was significant. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficent was higher between right pulmonary artery diameter and CT obstruction index. The cardiovascular parameters between patients with group SPE and group NSPE before and after treatment showed significant difference. Conclusion: CTPA not only can diagnose PE also can evaluate the degree of pulmonary arterial obstruction and the change of right heart function, and then reflect the prognosis and observe curative effect.
2011, Vol. 22 
