CT Finds Pulmonary Emboli in H1N1 Patients

A new study found that patients with severe cases of the H1N1 virus are at risk for developing severe complications, including pulmonary emboli. The condition can be life threatening but, if treated aggressively, blood thinners can reduce the risk of death. The research suggests that CT may be helpful for finding pulmonary emboli in these patients. The study will be published in the December issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

“The high incidence of pulmonary embolism is important. Radiologists have to be aware to look closely for the risks of pulmonary embolism in severely sick patients,” says Prachi P. Agarwal, MD, assistant professor of radiology at the University of Michigan Medical School and the lead author of the study.

The research included 66 patients diagnosed with the H1N1 flu. Of those, 14 patients were severely ill and required intensive care unit (ICU) admission. All 66 patients underwent chest X-rays for the detection of H1N1 abnormalities. Pulmonary emboli were seen in CT scans on five of the 14 ICU patients.

  “With the upcoming annual influenza season in the United States, knowledge of the radiologic features of H1N1 is important, as well as the virus’s potential complications,” says Agarwal. “The majority of patients with H1N1 that undergo chest x-rays have normal radiographs. CT scans proved valuable in identifying those patients at risk of developing more serious complications as a possible result of the H1N1 virus.”

“These findings indicate that imaging studies would have to be repeated in severely ill patients to monitor disease progression,” says Ella Kazerooni, MD, director of the University of Michigan’s division of cardiothoracic radiology and a professor of radiology. “It’s important to heighten awareness not only among the radiologists but also among the referring clinicians.”

— Source: University of Michigan