[Pulmonary angiogram in the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism]

The indication, complication, diagnostic finding, pit fall of pulmonary angiogram(PAG) for the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) were described. Current non-invasive test such as V/Q scan, CT and MR have been accepted as useful tools for diagnosis and decision making of the treatment of PE. The indications of PAG seems to be limited as the cases with 1) discrepancy between clinical findings and the results of V/Q scan, 2) high suspicious of PE with some risk of anti-coagulant therapy or presenting complication of this therapy, 3) prior to IVR. However, the PAG is still accepted as final clinical test to make a decision of PE or not.