Question 2780
{"accessible":false,"alternatives":[{"id":13565,"text":"catheter angiogram"},{"id":13566,"text":"CTPA (CT pulmonary angiogram)"},{"id":13567,"text":"echocardiogram"},{"id":13568,"text":"ventilation perfusion scan (VQ scan)"}],"archived":false,"correctAlternativeId":13567,"explanation":"\u003cp\u003ePatients who are clinically unstable should be resuscitated and stabilized before being transferred to the radiology or nuclear medicine department for a scan. A bedside echocardiogram looking for secondary evidence of right heart strain can be useful in supporting the diagnosis so that treatment can be initiated. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf a patient is subsequently stabilized but remains unwell, a CTPA is preferable to VQ scan as it is a much quicker investigation with the added benefit of assessing for other potential causes for their presentation. \u003c/p\u003e","id":2780,"imageUrl":null,"imageAttribution":null,"imageAttributionCaseInfo":null,"firstQuestionPath":"/questions/2780","nextQuestionPath":null,"relatedArticles":[{"id":46829,"title":"V/Q scan","link":"/articles/vq-scan-2?lang=us"}],"alsoUsedIn":[{"id":1723,"kind":"Course","title":"2023 Virtual Conference Private Use - page 1723","link":"https://radiopaedia.org/courses/2023-virtual-conference-private-use/pages/1723"},{"id":365,"kind":"LiveSchedule","title":"365","link":"https://radiopaedia.org/admin/live_schedules/365"},{"id":277,"kind":"LiveSchedule","title":"277","link":"https://radiopaedia.org/admin/live_schedules/277"},{"id":1478,"kind":"Course","title":"2023 Virtual Conference Private Use - page 1478","link":"https://radiopaedia.org/courses/2023-virtual-conference-private-use/pages/1478"},{"id":1478,"kind":"Course","title":"Example Lectures - page 1478","link":"https://radiopaedia.org/courses/example-lectures/pages/1478"},{"id":1478,"kind":"Course","title":"Chest Lectures - page 1478","link":"https://radiopaedia.org/courses/chest-lectures/pages/1478"}],"stem":"\u003cp\u003eWhich of the following investigations is most appropriate for a clinically unstable patient with suspected acute pulmonary embolism?\u003c/p\u003e","menuLinks":[{"text":"Report problem with question","url":"https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfO3soWYhOjJ7yErSysyCe5V4A1CqW7WK3rDA7MtAkecMGqNw/viewform?entry.1624461248\u0026entry.553583435=https://radiopaedia.org/questions/2780"}],"attemptsPercentages":[{"alternativeId":"13566","percentage":35},{"alternativeId":"13565","percentage":2},{"alternativeId":"13567","percentage":61},{"alternativeId":"13568","percentage":3}],"promptToLogin":false,"questionManager":false,"articleId":"ct-pulmonary-angiogram-protocol"}