role of computed angiopulmonography in current diagnosis of pulmonary artery thromboembolism

Aim. To study potentialities of tomographic methods in diagnosis of pulmonary artery thromboembolism (PATE). Material and methods. Electron-beam tomography (EBT) was used for diagnosis in 34 patients (mean age 41.3 ± 16.5 years) suspected of PATE (Imatron C-150 unit, USA). The procedure included standard examination of the lungs and EBT angiopulmonography in intravenous introduction of the contrast agent (80-100 ml, the rate 3-3.5 ml/s). Results. The pulmonary artery was found to contain thrombi in 56% patients. 18% of PATE patients had pulmonary infarction. A complete coincidence of EBT and scintigraphy was registered in 31% cases, no PATE by both methods was in 19% cases. Angiopulmonography and EBT findings were the same. In 1 case the result of pulmonary scintigraphy was false negative. 24% patients showed symptoms of thrombophlebitis or varicosity of the lower limbs. EBT has detected signs of PATE in 83% of them. Conclusion. EBT-angiopulmonography is a precise, highly informative поп-invasive method in diagnosis of PATE.