CT for thromboembolic disease.

CTPA has dramatically changed the diagnostic approach to PE in the last decade. The addition of CTV has created a single diagnostic test that can evaluate for both important components of venous thromboembolic disease. Newer, multislice scanners will provide thinner images and more complete anatomic coverage. Shorter scan times will minimize motion artifacts. These improvements may continue to improve the diagnostic yield of CTPA. The availability of an accurate noninvasive diagnostic tool to evaluate for PE and DVT should lead to a better understanding of the wide range of presentations of thromboembolic disease. The next decade may produce improvements in understanding of the epidemiology of PE and perhaps to a more tailored approach to treatment for thromboembolic disease.

Duke Scholars

Author Edith Lacey Washington Radiology, Cardiothoracic Imaging