Acute and chronic pulmonary embolism: an in-depth review for radiologists through the use of frequently asked questions

Abstract

In this article, the authors review the role of the different imaging modalities in the diagnostic workup of patients with suspected acute or chronic pulmonary embolism (PE). The authors also discuss the current guidelines for the diagnosis of acute PE based on the pretest probability clinical assessment and outline the current recommendations for special patient populations. The recent guidelines from the American Thoracic Society/Society of Thoracic Radiology for the assessment of suspected PE in pregnancy are also reviewed. Finally, the imaging findings in acute and chronic PE are illustrated.