Suspected Pulmonary Embolism in Pregnancy
- Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a leading preventable cause of maternal mortality during pregnancy. There is a 2-4 fold increase in incidence and it accounts for up to 20% of pregnancy-related deaths. 29
- The risks of inappropriate use of anticoagulation or missing the diagnosis of PE in pregnancy, far outweigh the risks of exposure to the mother and fetus of diagnostic radiation.
- The difficulty in making the diagnosis of PE in pregnancy is compounded by physiological changes in women that result in symptoms that mimic PE. These include chest pain, shortness of breath and leg swelling which make the clinical diagnosis of PE difficult.
- Available evidence as to the most appropriate methods to investigate suspected PE in pregnancy is circumspect.
- Due to differences in scanning protocols between institutions, it is important to discuss planned investigation of PE in pregnant patients with the radiologist and nuclear medicine physician.
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