Imaging of Pulmonary Artery

Abstract

Radiology investigations play an important role in the assessment of pulmonary artery. Imaging is utilized in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) and in the evaluation of a patient with pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH). PE is the third most common cardiovascular disease after coronary artery disease and stroke. The precise incidence of PE is not well known, but European guidelines estimated the incidence from 0.5 to 1 in 1000 [1]. Acute PE is associated with mortality rates as high as 30% [1, 2]. The clinical presentation of acute PE is variable accounting for its underdiagnoses. Most of the patients present with sudden onset of dyspnea, while a significant proportion may present with chest pain indistinguishable from more common coronary artery disease [3]. A small subset of patients may present with nonspecific symptoms like cough, hemoptysis, or syncope. Since the majority of the PEs are due to deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in the legs, one must be aware of predisposing conditions for DVT and PE that include advanced age, overweight, coagulation disorders, underlying malignancy, hormone replacement therapy, and oral contraception.