Pulmonary vascular imaging characteristics after pulmonary endarterectomy for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension

Between 16 and 51% of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients will have residual pulmonary hypertension (PH) after pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA). Whether residual PH is related to remaining (sub-)segmental macrovascular lesions or to microvascular disease is unknown. New imaging techniques can provide detailed information about (sub-)segmental pulmonary arteries and parenchymal perfusion. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence after PEA of remaining (sub-)segmental vascular lesions on ECG-gated CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) and parenchymal hypoperfusion on MR and to relate these imaging abnormalities to the presence or absence of residual PH after PEA.
Source: The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation - Category: Transplant Surgery Authors: Tags: Original Clinical Science Source Type: research