Pulmonary thromboembolism: new diagnostic imaging techniques

Abstract The accurate diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism is essential to reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with the disease. The diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism is challenging because of the nonspecific nature of the clinical profile and the risk factors. Imaging methods provide the definitive diagnosis. Currently, the imaging method most commonly used in the evaluation of pulmonary thromboembolism is computed tomography. The recent development of dual-energy computed tomography has provided a promising tool for the evaluation of pulmonary perfusion through iodine mapping. In this article, we will review the importance of diagnosing pulmonary thromboembolism, as well as the imaging methods employed, primarily dual-energy computed tomography.

摘要 肺血栓栓塞症的精准诊断对于降低该病相关的发病率与死亡率至关重要。由于临床表现与危险因素均缺乏特异性，肺血栓栓塞症的诊断颇具挑战性。影像学检查可实现该病的明确诊断。当前，用于肺血栓栓塞症评估的最常用影像学检查手段为计算机断层扫描（computed tomography）。近年来双能量计算机断层扫描（dual-energy computed tomography）的发展，为通过碘图谱分析评估肺灌注提供了极具前景的工具。本文将综述肺血栓栓塞症的诊断重要性，以及所采用的各类影像学检查方法，重点聚焦双能量计算机断层扫描。