Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) has been shown to be of value in evaluating the distribution of ventilation. In addition, several studies, particularly case reports, have demonstrated the use of EIT in the assessment of lung perfusion. EIT may be a potential diagnostic bedside tool in the diagnosis and follow-up of acute pulmonary embolism.
Case summary: We present one case of a patient with COVID-19 who likely had pulmonary thromboembolism where perfusion scans were made before and after thrombolytic therapy. Perfusion scans showed improvement after thrombolytic therapy. This article should therefore be seen as a first step in proving the validity of EIT-derived perfusion scans as a diagnostic for pulmonary embolism.
Conclusion: The hypertonic saline bolus EIT method as a diagnostic tool for pulmonary embolism is a promising new technique, which can be particularly meaningful for critically ill patients. Further study is required to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of this technique and the impact on decision-making and outcomes of critically ill patients.
Keywords: COVID-19; pulmonary embolism; severe acute respiratory syndrome; thrombolytic therapy; tissue plasminogen activator.
Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the Society of Critical Care Medicine.