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Clinical value of thin collimation in the diagnostic workup of pulmonary embolism
M Remy-Jardin1, J Remy, F Baghaie
1Department of Thoracic Imaging, Hospital Calmette, Lille Cedex, France.
Objective:
We report our experience with thin-collimation helical CT in a population of patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism.
Conclusion:
Thin-collimation helical CT provided technically acceptable examinations for pulmonary embolism in 360 patients (97%). In this population, CT revealed pulmonary embolism in 104 patients (29%), negative findings in 217 patients (59%), indeterminate findings in 39 patients (10%), and alternative diagnoses in 65% of patients with negative or inconclusive findings. Ventilation-perfusion scanning and Doppler sonography of the lower extremities were performed in 158 (44%) and 133 patients (37%), respectively, whereas pulmonary angiography was performed in 27 patients (7.5%). The estimated false-negative rate of helical CT was 5%.