Open AccessNormal Chest X-Ray in Patients with Pulmonary Embolism May Involve Increased Risk of Massive Pulmonary Embolism
Author(s) -
Hatice Kılıç,
Habibe Hezer,
Berker Ozturk,
Muhammed Sait Besler,
Hüseyin Çeti̇n,
H. Canan Hasanoğlu,
Ayşegül Karalezli
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
european journal of medical and health sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2593-8339
DOI - 10.24018/ejmed.2022.4.1.910
Subject(s) - medicine , pulmonary embolism , chest radiograph , pathological , thrombus , radiology , radiography , embolism , cardiology , parenchyma , pathology
Purpose: Chest radiography is normal in approximately 20-40% of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) patients without cardiopulmonary disease. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is any difference between the patients with normal chest X-ray and those with pathological findings in terms of clinical severity and prognosis. Methods: 178 of PE patients were included in the study. 110 patients had no parenchymal pathology, whereas group 1 (n = 110); group 2 (n = 68) had various pathological parenchymal findings in 68 patients. Clinical and radiological parameters were compared between these groups. Following the diagnosis of PE, the cases were recorded in the fifth year.Results: In 178 participants; those with normal chest X-ray (group 1), with parenchymal pathological findings on the chest X-ray (group 2); echocardiographic systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) (p = 0.68), gender (p = 0.9) and thrombus type (p = 0.41) were similar.The patients in group 1 were not different in terms of central thrombus detected in computed tomography pulmonary angiogram compared to the patients in group 2; however, the chest radiograph of the patients in group 1 had no parenchymal pathology. Central thrombus group 1, group 2, respectively; 97 (89.0%), 53 (77.9%), p = 0.07.There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of mortality which was followed up in fifth year (p > 0.05).Conclusions: Normal chest X-ray in PE can determine mortality and may involve increased risk of massive PE.