The association between the proximal extension of the clot and the severity of pulmonary embolism (PE): a proposal for a new radiological score for PE

• Published in: Journal of internal medicine 2007-01, Vol.261 (1), p.74-81
• Main Authors: Ghanima, W., Abdelnoor, M., Holmen, L. O., Nielssen, B. E., Sandset, P. M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: anatomic distribution; Biological and medical sciences; Carbon Dioxide - blood; computer tomography; Confidence Intervals; Follow-Up Studies; General aspects; Humans; Lung - diagnostic imaging; Lung - physiopathology; Medical sciences; Oxygen - blood; Pneumology; prognosis; Prospective Studies; Pulmonary Artery - diagnostic imaging; pulmonary artery obstruction; pulmonary embolism; Pulmonary Embolism - diagnostic imaging; Pulmonary Embolism - physiopathology; Pulmonary hypertension. Acute cor pulmonale. Pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary vascular diseases; Risk Assessment; Statistics, Nonparametric; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods; troponin; Troponin T - blood; Ventricular Dysfunction, Right - physiopathology
• ISSN: 0954-6820; 1365-2796
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2796.2006.01733.x

. Background.  The aim of the study was to investigate the association between the proximal level of the clot and the severity of pulmonary embolism (PE). Methods.  The cohort consisted of 99 consecutive patients with PE diagnosed by multi‐detector computed tomography. A new score was constructed by calculating the mean value of the largest affected vessel [sub‐segmental = 1, segmental = 2, lobar = 3, main pulmonary artery (MPA) = 4] in each lung. Results.  A significant association was found between the most proximal level of PE and pulmonary artery obstruction index (PAOI) (P