Objective: To investigate the differential diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism in emergency in order to increase the correct diagnosis rate of pulmonary thromboembolism.
Methods: The data of patients who were diagnosed pulmonary thromboembolism in Emergency Intensive Care Center of Anzhen Hospital from January 2000 to the end of August 2003 were analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups. One group of patients with pulmonary thromboembolism were diagnosed pneumonia, heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. The other group of patients were not pulmonary thromboembolism and were misdiagnosed.
Results: Five patients with pulmonary thromboembolism were diagnosed pneumonia, 7 and 3 patients were diagnosed heart disease and cerebrovascular disease, respectively. In the other group, 4 patients with lung or mediastinal tumors, 2 with pneumonia and 1 with bronchiectasis were diagnosed pulmonary thromboembolism.
Conclusion: It is essential to correctly diagnose pulmonary thromboembolism, especially emergency physicians should master diagnosis method of pulmonary thromboembolism and reduce the rate missed of diagnosis.