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Diagnosing Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
How is pulmonary embolism diagnosed?
It may be hard to diagnose pulmonary embolism. That's because the symptoms are like those of many other problems, such as a heart attack or pneumonia.
A doctor will do a physical exam and ask questions about your past health and your symptoms.
You might have tests to look for blood clots or to rule out other causes of your symptoms. Tests may include:
- A chest X-ray. This may rule out an enlarged heart or pneumonia.
- Electrocardiogram (EKG). This may help rule out a possible heart attack.
- Blood tests, such as a D-dimer. D-dimer levels are usually high in people with pulmonary embolism.
- A CT scan or CT angiogram. These tests can look for pulmonary embolism or for a blood clot that may cause it.
- A ventilation-perfusion lung scan. This test scans for abnormal blood flow through the lungs.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate a new medical approach, device, drug, or other treatment. As a Stanford Health Care patient, you may have access to the latest, advanced clinical trials.
Open trials refer to studies currently accepting participants. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but may open in the future.