• CT Diagnosis of Chronic Pulmonary Thromboembolism

    Eva Castaner, MD , Xavier Gallardo, MD , Eva Ballesteros, MD , Marta Andreu, MD , Yolanda Pallardo, MD , Josep Maria Mata, MD, PhD Lluis Riera, MD

    Chronic pulmonary thromboembolism is mainly a consequence of incomplete resolution of pulmonary thromboembolism. Increased vascular resistance due to obstruction of the vascular bed leads to pulmonary hypertension. Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hy�pertension is clearly more common than previously was thought, and misdiagnosis is common because patients often present with non�specific symptoms related to pulmonary hypertension. Computed tomography (CT) is a useful alternative to conventional angiography not only for diagnosing chronic pulmonary thromboembolism but also for determining which cases are treatable with surgery and confirming technical success postoperatively. The vascular CT signs include direct pulmonary artery signs (complete obstruction, partial obstruction, ec�centric thrombus, calcified thrombus, bands, webs, poststenotic dilata�tion), signs related to pulmonary hypertension (enlargement of main pulmonary arteries, atherosclerotic calcification, tortuous vessels, right ventricular enlargement, hypertrophy), and signs of systemic collateral supply (enlargement of bronchial and nonbronchial systemic arteries). The parenchymal signs include scars, a mosaic perfusion pattern, focal ground-glass opacities, and bronchial anomalies. The presence of one or more of these radiologic signs arouses suspicion and allows diagno�sis of this entity. Early recognition of chronic pulmonary thromboem�bolism may help improve the outcome, since the condition is poten�tially curable with pulmonary thromboendarterectomy.