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Suspicion of Pulmonary Embolism

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Abstract

Acute pulmonary embolism carries a high mortality. The role of echocardiography is to provide a rapid and accurate diagnosis: successful imaging of the mass in the pulmonary arterial tree has been extensively described. Echocardiography also reveals the source of the embolism if it is contained within the right side of the heart. Direct sources of embolism include thrombus, tumors, and valve vegetations in endocarditis. The localization may be difficult, and standard views of the right ventricle and pulmonary artery must be examined with care. Supportive features of pulmonary embolism are those of right ventricular overload and failure: right ventricular dilation, tricuspid valve regurgitation, and paradoxical septal motion.

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Further Reading

  • Goldhaber SZ (2002) Echocardiography in the management of pulmonary embolism. Ann Intern Med 136:691–700

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  • Mookadam F et al (2010) Critical appraisal on the echocardiography in the management of acute pulmonary embolism. Cardiol Rev 18(1):29–37

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  • Torbicki A et al (2003) Right heart thrombi in pulmonary embolism: results from the international cooperative pulmonary embolism registry. J Am Coll Cardiol 41:2245–2251

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  • Torbicki A, Perrier A, Konstantinides S, Agnelli G, Galiè N, Pruszczyk P et al (2008) Guidelines on the diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolism. The Task Force for the Diagnosis and Management of Acute Pulmonary Embolism of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Eur Heart J 29:2276–2315

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiovascular Anesthesia, Santa Croce & Carle Hospital, Cuneo, Italy

    Alessandro Locatelli, Carla Avallato & Ilaria Nicoletti

Authors
  1. Alessandro Locatelli
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  2. Carla Avallato
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  3. Ilaria Nicoletti
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alessandro Locatelli .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ospedale Santa Maria Nuova, Reparto di Terapia Intensiva, Azienda Sanitaria di Firenze, Piazza S.Maria Nuova 1, Firenze, 50123, Italy

    Armando Sarti

  2. , Dipartimento di Anestesia e Rianimazione, Az. Osp. Ospedali Riuniti di Bergamo, Via Delle Cave 31/c, Bergamo, 24127, Italy

    F. Luca Lorini

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© 2013 Springer-Verlag Italia

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Locatelli, A., Avallato, C., Nicoletti, I. (2013). Suspicion of Pulmonary Embolism. In: Sarti, A., Lorini, F. (eds) Echocardiography for Intensivists. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2583-7_31

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2583-7_31

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Milano

  • Print ISBN: 978-88-470-2582-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-88-470-2583-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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