Assessing Clinical Probability of Pulmonary Embolism in the Emergency Ward

Abstract

ALTHOUGH NEWLY available, noninvasive diagnostic tools (leg vein ultrasonography^1-4 and plasma D-dimer measurement^2,5-7) are being increasingly used in the workup of suspected pulmonary embolism (PE), clinical assessment of PE remains a cornerstone of the recently validated diagnostic strategies for PE.^2,4,8,9 Indeed, the so-called clinical or pretest probability (which rests on risk factors for venous thromboembolism, history, physical examination, blood gases, chest x-ray examination, and electrocardiogram) may aid in both the selection and interpretation of further diagnostic tests. Moreover, patients with a low clinical probability of PE seldom require a pulmonary angiogram.