The majority of patients with acute PE have residual abnormalities visible on spiral CT at 6 weeks, highlighting the importance of recognizing these resolving clot patterns to avoid misdiagnosis of recurrent PE.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Residual CT abnormalities 6 weeks post-PE may mimic recurrence; hypothesis-generating for standardized interpretation criteria in follow-up imaging.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this work is to describe the spiral CT appearance of resolving clots at 6 week follow-up in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). METHOD: Nineteen patients with acute PE initially identified with spiral CT scan underwent repeat CT examinations at 6 week follow-up after the start of anticoagulant therapy. The appearances of the clots on the initial CT scan and follow-up CT scan were analyzed. RESULTS: Normalization of the pulmonary arteries at follow-up was seen in six patients (32%) only. Residual abnormalities were present in 13 of 19 patients (68%). Resolving clots were seen as eccentric wall-adherent filling defects (22%) or filling defects with central contrast material (3%). CONCLUSION: Resolving clots after acute PE can be seen with follow-up CT scan in the majority of patients. It is important to be familiar with these findings.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Rossum et al. (1998) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 10 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: