Chest radiographic findings in patients with acute pulmonary embolism: observations from the PIOPED Study.
- 1 October 1993
- journal article
- clinical trial
- Published by Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Radiology
- Vol. 189 (1) , 133-136
- https://doi.org/10.1148/radiology.189.1.8372182
Abstract
PURPOSE: To determine the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of chest radiographic findings in patients suspected of having acute pulmonary embolism (PE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chest radiographs of 1,063 patients with suspected PE were reviewed. PE was confirmed angiographically in 383 patients and excluded in 680 patients. RESULTS: The chest radiograph was interpreted as normal in only 12% of patients with PE. The most common chest radiographic finding in patients with PE was atelectasis and/or parenchymal areas of increased opacity; however, the prevalence was not significantly different from that in patients without PE. Oligemia (the Westermark sign), prominent central pulmonary artery (the Fleischner sign), pleural-based area of increased opacity (the Hampton hump), vascular redistribution, pleural effusion, elevated diaphragm, and enlarged hilum were also poor predictors of PE. CONCLUSION: Although chest radiographs are essential in the investigation of suspected P...Keywords
This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: