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CT Pulmonary Angiography

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CT Pulmonary Angiography, Pulmonary Artery CTA, Pulmonary Artery CT Angiogram, CT Angiogram for Pulmonary Embolism

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