[New aspects in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism]

Pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep venous thrombosis (DVT), venous thromboembolism (VTE) respectively, are relatively frequent diseases. Despite progress in early detection and treatment, the rates of mortality and recurrent PE, remain high. Clinical findings include oligosymptomatic conditions with unexplained chest discomfort or shortness of breath that cannot be recognized as PE, but also and massive embolism with hemodynamic colapse and sudden cardiac death (SCD). The time from the first symptoms, till PE diagnosis is the most important for prognosis. Diagnostic methods include non imaging methods as plasma d-dimer Elisa, electrocardiogram, and many imaging methods from roentgenography, echocardiography, lung scanning, spiral chest computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging to pulmonary angiography as "the gold standard" for PE diagnosis. It is recommended integrated diagnostic approach and various algorithms according to medical equipment and staff skill of a hospital.