فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

Background: A significant proportion of patients with chest discomfort suffer from esophageal pathology and other conditions unrelated to pulmonary embolism. Objectives: To determine the proportion of emergency patients undergoing CT pulmonary angiography, where esophageal pathology suspected from CT and other secondary findings would contribute to the explanation of their symptoms. Results: Pulmonary embolism was confirmed in 27% patients. The distal esophageal wall was thickened in 87 (20%) patients. In this group, pulmonary embolism was present in 11 patients (13%) compared to 104 (30%) in patients without esophageal wall thickening (P = 0.007). From 76 patients with excluded pulmonary embolism, in 43 (56%), a suspected esophageal pathology was consistent with their symptoms. Gastroscopy confirmed CT findings in 34 of 42 patients (P = 0.0001). Conclusion: Esophageal wall thickening is common in emergency patients with excluded pulmonary embolism and this finding may help to direct the patients appropriately.