Incidental Discovery of Pulmonary Emboli Via CT Scan: Impact of Detections on Patient Care and Resulting Complications

Incidental Discovery of Pulmonary Emboli Via CT Scan: Impact of Detections on Patient Care and Resulting Complications. A Retrospective Study

In recent years, with an increase in the frequency of CT examinations, there has also been an increase in the random discovery of pulmonary emboli, often small, as part of examinations performed for other indications. Most of the literature so far deals with the discovery of such findings mainly in oncological patients, and there is relatively little information regarding the frequency of such random discovery in other patient populations. Specifically in the intensive care patient population, we have not yet found any study that examined the detection rates of these findings. Also, there is no consensus regarding how these random findings should be treated from a therapeutic point of view (whether to start treatment with full anticoagulation, and if so, for what period of time).

Random pulmonary embolism is often discovered as part of a CT scan done to assess acute lung disease or lung cancer staging. In a study done in oncology patients, 385 chest CT examinations were examined, with a random discovery of pulmonary emboli at a rate of 2.6% . A larger analysis of 8 studies involving 8491 cancer patients found a slightly higher incidence of 3.6%.

We would like to check the rate of pulmonary emboli that were randomly discovered in chest CT examinations performed in the intensive care unit for other indications, and the consequences of discoveries - ie starting anti-coagulant treatment and whether there were any complications for starting such treatment (bleeding).

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Pulmonary Embolism
• Intervention / Treatment: Diagnostic test: Computed tomography exam of the chest

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 1000

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Israel
  • Kfar Saba, Israel
    • Recruiting
    • Meir Medical Center
    • Contact: Sara Dichtwald, Dr.; Phone Number: 1 972-9-7472133; Email: sara.dichtwald@clalit.org.il

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: N/A

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

All patients who were admitted to the ICU between 8/2020 and 8/2024 and underwent chest CT during ICU stay

Description

Inclusion Criteria: All patients who were admitted to the ICU between 8/2020 and 8/2024 and underwent chest CT during ICU stay -

Exclusion Criteria: Missing information

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Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Rate of incidental pulmonary embolism and related therapeutic consequences	To determine the rate of incidental pulmonary emboli that were discovered randomly in a CT scan in the intensive care unit and in what percentage of cases the findings caused a change in the patient's drug treatment (starting full anticoagulation therapy ).	1.8.2020 - 1.8.2024

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Meir Medical Center

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 29, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 29, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): October 2, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 13, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 7, 2025
• Last Verified: May 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Lung Diseases; Embolism and Thrombosis; Pulmonary Embolism; Embolism
• Other Study ID Numbers: MMC-0216-24

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No