No abstract

Pulmonary embolism is the third most common acute cardiovascular disease. Dual-energy computed tomography perfusion imaging is a promising adjunct in the detection of acute PE providing simultaneous functional assessment of pulmonary perfusion alongside the high-resolution morphological information from computed tomography pulmonary angiography. We review the evidence to date and common causes of perfusion defects including artifacts, parenchymal, and vascular causes, and discuss its potential in furthering our understanding of physiology and pathophysiology in acute pulmonary embolism.

CT screening is feasible in a diverse inner-city population with the support of a robust infrastructure. Further study is needed to determine whether CT screening will confer a mortality benefit in this population.