Could the number of CT angiograms be reduced in emergency department patients suspected of pulmonary embolism?

Background: This study was undertaken to identify the prevalence of pulmonary embolism (PE) in the emergency department (ED) of an urban teaching hospital and also to test a Bayesian model in estimating the number of CT pulmonary angiography (CTA) expected to be performed in an emergency department.

Methods: The data for this study was obtained through a retrospective review of electronic medical records for all ED patients suspected of PE who underwent chest CTA or ventilation perfusion scanning (V/Q) between 2009 and 2010. The data is presented as means and standard deviation for continuous variables and percentages with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) for proportions.