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What's the best way of diagnosing PE?

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Mohan_Drey
Mohan_Drey

According to my research, VQ scan, chest CT scan with contast and CT Pulmonary Angiogram can detect PEs. What is the best way of diagnosing them? Are chest CT scan w/ contrast and CT Pulmonary Angiogram the same? Which of them are cheaper? Can they diagnose very small PE? Help pls answer my questions.

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • TGrove
    TGrove Mohan_Drey

    Posted

    I have always had a CT scan with contrast. I was told it's the best way. However I have also had an MRI to avoid the radiation.

  • moon53540
    moon53540 Mohan_Drey

    Posted

    The micro PEs are best detected with a VQ scan. CT with contrast I think is better out of the CTs. If you live in the UK I don’t think MRI is available yet. VQ is not as unpleasant in my personal experience and I assume it is more accurate.  I got the VQ on the NHS so I don’t know how much it costs privately but I think the CT with contrast was about £450. Obviously I can’t comment on how much it costs outside of the UK.

  • marie48074
    marie48074 Mohan_Drey

    Posted

    Mine were diagnosed by my doctors PE who had been seeing me but I had also been treated for bronchitis for a couple of weeks because I went to an urgent care doctor and she put me on antibiotic it didn't work and put me on another and it didn't work so I went to my regular doctor and as I used his PE, I had an x-ray and it came back clear and she called me in and by then my heart rate was 118 and my blood pressure was up and she listened to my chest and said you do not have bronchitis you have a blood clot. She then called the hospital and told him to expect me and to do a CT scan with contrast and I went over and they took me immediately and I did not put my foot down again for 9 days because I had two PEs with clots in both lungs and a DVT and my groin. I am doing well but still on coumadin and also had a procedure on my leg because they found out that my clots were coming from a pocket of blood where my vein in my leg was not closing off. 21 months ago my life

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