Systematic Lung Scans Reveal a High Frequency of Silent Pulmonary Embolism in Patients With Proximal Deep Venous Thrombosis

Abstract

Regardless of what interpretative criteria are used for assessing lung scans in PE, the frequency of silent PE is 40% to 50% in patients with DVT. A baseline lung scan may easily detect PE in these patients but is not useful for predicting early thromboembolic recurrences that may occur during therapy.