New research indicates that a diagnostic strategy using computed tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA) may be a safe alternative to conventional lungs scans (known as ventilation-perfusion scans) for excluding the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lung vessels), although CTPA may detect more clots, according to a study in the December 19 issue of JAMA.Pulmonary embolism is a common and serious medical condition leading to the hospitalization or death of more than 250,000 people in the U.S. each year, and is estimated to result in 5 percent to 10 percent of all deaths in U.S. hospitals. Pulmonary embolism remains one of the most difficult conditions for clinicians to diagnose accurately, with timely, accurate tests essential to start appropriate therapy, while avoiding the risks of therapy to patients diagnosed as not having a pulmonary embolism, according to background information in the article.
