CT-Scan Evaluation of Acute Pulmonary Embolism: About 63 Thoracic CT-Angiographies at the Rock Medical Imaging Center (CIMR/Kinshasa)

Abstract

Background and objective: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a serious pathology with high mortality. The clinical signs of pulmonary embolism are not very specific. Thoracic CT-angiography is the examination of choice in confirming the diagnosis of PE. Our objective was to describe the epidemiological-clinical, tomographic and progressive aspects of patients. Methods: A single-center descriptive and analytical observational study of a series of 63 patients received at the CIMR over a period of 24 months. Results: The incidence of acute pulmonary embolism was 25.6%. The average age of the patients was 66.5 9.3 years with a F/M sex ratio of 1.6. Most patients had a PESI score ranging from I to III (31.8%, 28.6%, 19.1%). All patients with non-massive PE were stable, while 2 patients with massive PE (37.5%) died (p = 0.001). The Qanadli score (QS) was higher in the deceased (64.5% 2.1%) compared to the living (46% 11.8%) (p = 0.0313). The mean LV of patients with massive embolism was low compared to patients with non-massive embolism (p = 0.005). The pulmonary artery which was larger in patients with massive embolism (p = 0.007) compared to patients with non-massive embolism. The same for the aorta (p = 0.035). The RV/LV ratio was higher in patients with massive PE compared to stable patients (1.7 vs 1.1 p = 0.001).