Purpose: Evaluation of the prognostic value of morphological cardiac parameters in patients with suspected and incidental acute pulmonary embolism (PE) using multidetector-row chest CT (MSCT).
Materials and methods: 2335 consecutive MSCT scans were evaluated for the presence of PE. The arterial enhancement and analysability of pulmonary arteries and the heart were assessed as parameters of the scan quality. The diastolic right and left ventricular short axes (RV (D), LV (D)) and the interventricular septal deviation (ISD) were measured in all PE-positive patients and the echocardiography reports were reviewed. The clinical data assessment included cardio-respiratory and other co-morbidities, systemic anticoagulant therapy (ACT), and the 30-day outcome. Predictors of acute cor pulmonale and the short-term outcome were calculated by univariate and multivariate logistic regressions including odds ratios (OR) and ROC analyses using positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV).
Results: 90 patients with acute PE were included (36 with clinically suspected PE, 54 with incidental PE). 26 patients had cardio-respiratory co-morbidities. Four patients underwent systemic thrombolysis, 43 underwent anticoagulation in therapeutic doses, 19 underwent anticoagulation in prophylactic doses, and 24 patients did not undergo ACT. 15 of 41 patients had echocardiographic evidence of acute cor pulmonale. 8 patients died within 30 days. The RV (D) was the best independent predictor of acute cor pulmonale (p = 0,002, OR = 9.16, PPV = 0.68, NPV = 1 at 4.49 cm cut off) and short-term outcome (p = 0,0005, OR = 2.82, PPV = 0.23, NPV = 0.98 at 4.75 cm cut off). The RV (D)/LV (D) ratio had a PPV of 0.85 for cor pulmonale.
Conclusion: The RV (D) and RV (D)/LV (D) ratio were suitable for identifying patients with acute cor pulmonale and for benign short-term prognosis. Further studies should prospectively address the combined use of CT-morphological and clinical parameters for the prediction of patient outcome.