Can a pulmonary embolism be detected by a CT scan?

Written by Wei Shi Liang
Intensive Care Unit
Updated on September 24, 2024
00:00
00:00

CT can detect acute pulmonary embolism, using CT angiography, which is the preferred imaging method for diagnosing pulmonary embolisms. It mainly shows central filling defects, as well as eccentric and abdominal wall filling defects, and complete filling defects. A diagnosis of pulmonary embolism can be made through the visualization of these filling defects on a CT scan. Additionally, some indirect signs, such as pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular enlargement, and the common mosaic sign, can also be observed. These are characteristic CT manifestations of acute pulmonary embolism.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wei Shi Liang
Intensive Care Unit
40sec home-news-image

Can a pulmonary embolism be detected by a CT scan?

CT can detect acute pulmonary embolism, using CT angiography, which is the preferred imaging method for diagnosing pulmonary embolisms. It mainly shows central filling defects, as well as eccentric and abdominal wall filling defects, and complete filling defects. A diagnosis of pulmonary embolism can be made through the visualization of these filling defects on a CT scan. Additionally, some indirect signs, such as pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular enlargement, and the common mosaic sign, can also be observed. These are characteristic CT manifestations of acute pulmonary embolism.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
51sec home-news-image

Is there a lot of phlegm in pulmonary embolism?

Pulmonary embolism is a relatively common acute disease in clinical practice. It usually occurs when blood clots from the veins in the legs or pelvis detach, travel through the bloodstream to the pulmonary arteries, and cause an embolism. The onset of this disease is often very sudden. Due to different triggers, the clinical symptoms vary. Typical symptoms of pulmonary embolism include difficulty breathing, chest pain, coughing up blood, and coughing. Coughs are often dry, and patients may also have a small amount of white sputum. Some patients might even experience wheezing and other clinical symptoms. Therefore, the occurrence of excessive sputum is rare in patients with pulmonary embolism.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
51sec home-news-image

Why can't patients with pulmonary embolism get out of bed?

Pulmonary embolism is a relatively common clinical disease, with many and complex inducing factors. The most common cause of pulmonary embolism in patients is due primarily to thrombi dislodging from the veins of the lower limbs or the pelvic deep veins, traveling through the bloodstream to the pulmonary arteries, thus causing the disease. Therefore, bed rest is essential during the acute phase of pulmonary embolism. The purpose of bed rest is to prevent further embolisms, to avoid the dislodging of pelvic or lower limb deep vein thrombi, which could lead to the formation of new thrombi. Therefore, for patients with pulmonary embolism, it is crucial to provide timely treatments such as thrombolysis to control the clinical symptoms caused by the pulmonary embolism effectively.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
56sec home-news-image

Can a secondary recurrence of pulmonary embolism be treated?

Pulmonary embolism, even if it recurs for the second time, is treatable, but the approach should differ from the first recurrence. It's vital to determine the cause of the pulmonary embolism, although many patients with this condition do not have an identifiable cause. For such patients, long-term oral anticoagulants might be recommended. With long-term use of oral anticoagulants, the likelihood of thrombosis, especially in the venous system, significantly reduces. This means that the chance of recurrence in patients also decreases considerably. However, if the cause can be identified, it is better to address and eliminate it. For instance, if the cause is long-term use of oral contraceptives or the presence of varicose veins, these primary or secondary factors should be resolved. The treatment should not just focus on anticoagulation or thrombolytic therapy, as there could still be a possibility of a future pulmonary embolism recurrence.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Li Bing
Intensive Care Medicine Department
45sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of a pulmonary embolism warning sign?

Pulmonary embolism is also very common in clinical settings, mainly seen in patients who have been bedridden for a long time, undergone various major surgeries, suffered from long bone fractures, pregnancy, etc. In the early stages of pulmonary embolism, patients generally experience varying degrees of chest pain, hemoptysis, and difficulty breathing, among others. If pulmonary embolism is suspected and the patient's condition permits, a pulmonary artery CTA scan should be immediately carried out to further confirm the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. If the pulmonary embolism has already caused circulatory disturbances, thrombolytic therapy should then be considered.