HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Ocak, I. Articles by Fuhrman, C. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ocak, I. Articles by Fuhrman, C. Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

CT Angiography Findings of the Left Atrium and Right Ventricle in Patients with Massive Pulmonary Embolism

¹ Both authors: Department of Radiology, Thoracic Imaging Division, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop St., Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to show the imaging findings of the left atrium and right ventricle on CT angiography in patients with massive pulmonary embolism.

CONCLUSION. Massive pulmonary embolism can cause abrupt acute pulmonary arterial hypertension, right ventricular dysfunction, and decrease in left ventricular preload. Patients with these findings on CT angiography can have a poorer prognosis than those without these imaging findings. Consequently, recognizing anatomic changes such as right ventricular dilation or septal bowing, decrease in size of left atrium and pulmonary veins (a manifestation of decreased pulmonary venous return) would be useful for risk stratification at the time of massive pulmonary embolism.

Keywords: left atrium • massive pulmonary embolism • right ventricular dysfunction

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?