Making the Diagnosis
There are several tests that may be done to diagnose a pulmonary embolism.
In addition to a chest X-ray, a ventilation perfusion (V/Q) scan may
be performed to see if anything is blocking blood flow through the lungs. Other
tests include CT scan or pulmonary angiography. For deep vein thrombosis, Doppler
studies of the legs, venograms, or impedance plethysmography (IPG) of
the veins may be done to detect a blood clot. For strokes, brain scans, angiography,
or Doppler ultrasound studies may be used to detect arteries blocked by a blood
clot.