CT Angiographic Findings of Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Patients with Acute Massive Pulmonary Embolism

Massive Pulmonary Embolism (MPE) is a life threating condition. MPE is defined as a 50% or more occlusion of the main pulmonary arteries or obliteration of two or more of lobar arteries. Patients often die at the primary hours as a result of right heart failure, therefore finding the signs of Right Ventricular (RV) dysfunction is helpful in early diagnostic concern of MPE in first studies for example spiral CT scans in patients with respiratory symptoms. The aim of this study was to determine the CT angiographic findings due to RV dysfunction in patients with acute MPE. We conducted analytic study. This study was performed on 80 humans by using of CT angiography for evaluation of findings due to RV dysfunction. They were obtained from CT Angiography Department of Madany Hospital in Tabriz City. The mean of maximum short axis diameter of RV in case group is higher than control group and it is statistically significant (p<0.05). The mean of maximum short axis diameters of right and left ventricular ratio in case group is higher than control group and it is statistically significant too (p<0.05). The mean of superior vena cava and azygus veins diameter in case group is higher than control group and it is statistically significant (p<0.05). Evaluation of RV afterload findings by computed tomography could be effective in prediction of sever MPE, faster therapeutic management and resultant decreased mortality.