Abstract:

Purpose: In this study, our aim was to investigate the PTE positive rate in patients with pneumonic BT anjiography suspected of pneumonic tromboembolism (PTE). It also determined the frequency of alternative diagnoses identified in the IT angiography and the role of lung graphics in the determination of alternative diagnoses. Tools and Methods: The study included patients who were applying for emergency service between January 2018 and May 2018 and who had a pulmonary IT anjiography with PTE suspicion. Based on radiological reports, patients were divided into three groups: PTE negative, PTE positive and suspicious. BT anjiography studies in the PTE negative group were reviewed by two radiologists in the direction of alternative diagnoses. Alternative diagnoses were defined as clinical and symptomatic findings of patients such as consolidation, mass and amphysema. The lung charts were evaluated in the direction of the detectiveness of alternative diagnoses. Symptoms at the time of application, clinical findings and laboratory findings were recorded. Results: Between January 2018 and May 2018, a total of 683 patients were subjected to pulmonary BT angiography with suspicion of PTE. In 6.4% of patients, PTE was positive. 65% of patients who did not detect PTE had alternative diagnoses that could explain clinical findings and symptoms. The most common alternative diagnoses were consolidation, atelektacy, amphysema and bronchicectasis. 72% of these alternative diagnoses were also observed in the lung graphs of patients. In 15% of patients, incidental findings were unrelated to symptoms. The result of our study found that in the pulmonary IT angiography studies applied with PTE suspicion, alternative diagnoses were found at a much higher rate than the PTE diagnosis, and that the vast majority of these alternative diagnoses could be detected by lungs graphics without BT being needed.

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