Lung perfusion scans and hemodynamics in acute and chronic pulmonary embolism.

Abstract

In APE without prior cardiopulmonary disease, increases in PAP and TPR are correlated in a nonlinear fashion with the degree of pulmonary vascular obstruction as assessed by lung scanning. In CTEPH patients, the higher PAP and TPR values as compared to APE patients with comparable degrees of PVOs are consistent with previous reports that pulmonary hypertension in CTEPH is due not only to the obstruction of proximal pulmonary arteries but also to remodeling of small distal arteries in nonoccluded areas.