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Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension and Assessment of Right Ventricular Function in the Piglet
Published on: November 4, 2015
Imaging techniques in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension
Eleni Giannouli1, Bruce Maycher
1Section of Respirology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. egiannouli@hsc.mb.ca
Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine
|July 25, 2013
Summary
Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is often underdiagnosed. Advanced imaging like MDCTA and MRI are crucial for early diagnosis and surgical planning of this potentially curable condition.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Radiology
- Pulmonary Medicine
Background:
- Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) affects up to 4-5% of acute pulmonary embolism patients.
- It is frequently underdiagnosed due to nonspecific symptoms.
- Early diagnosis is vital as CTEPH is potentially curable via pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PEA).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review imaging techniques for diagnosing CTEPH.
- To evaluate their role in assessing PEA feasibility.
- To understand their contribution to disease management.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on imaging modalities in CTEPH.
- Analysis of ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy, MDCTA, conventional pulmonary angiography, and MRI findings.
- Discussion of newer techniques like dual-spectrum CT.
Main Results:
- Ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy is sensitive for excluding CTEPH.
- MDCTA is key for diagnosis, surgical road mapping, and assessing pulmonary arterial hypertension.
- MRI aids in preoperative/postoperative assessment of right ventricular function.
Conclusions:
- MDCTA and MRI are the primary imaging techniques for CTEPH diagnosis and management.
- These modalities aid in surgical planning and patient assessment.
- Emerging techniques like dual-spectrum CT may enhance future assessments.
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