The frequency of pleural effusion and additional chest findings in patients undergoing computerised tomographic pulmonary angiography for suspected pulmonary embolism at a level four academic hospital in South Africa

Abstract

PURPOSE: The non-­‐specific presentation of pulmonary embolism (PE) leads to a number of diagnostic challenges. Pleural effusions in particular are an under-­‐recognised complication of PE with potentially lethal consequences. This study assessed the diagnostic yield of pulmonary embolism, frequency of pleural effusions, pulmonary hypertension and abnormal parenchymal findings in patients undergoing CTPA for suspected PTED. METHOD: The CTPAs of 100 patients performed between September 2015 and January 2016 were analysed retrospectively. The presence/absence of the above-­‐mentioned radiological abnormalities were documented. RESULTS: PE was identified in 37% of cases. Pleural effusion was present in 37,8%, pulmonary hypertension in 66,7% and abnormal parenchymal findings in 59,5% of PE positive patients respectively. The only finding significantly associated with PE was peripheral wedge-­‐shaped opacities (p=0,019). CONCLUSIONS: There was a higher diagnostic yield of PE in this study when compared to similar studies conducted elsewhere. With the exception of peripheral wedge-­‐shaped opacities, pleuro-­‐parenchymal abnormalities are of limited value in diagnosing PE.