Abstract:Objective To investigate the value of CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) in the diagnosis and efficient assessment of pulmonary embolism (PE) in the elderly. Methods Fifty-five patients with acute PE admitted in Department of Cardiology in our hospital from January 2009 to January 2015 were enrolled in this study. They were divided into severe group (n=24) and non-severe group (n=31). Right/left ventricular short axis diameter ratio (RV/LV), superior vena cava and pulmonary artery diameter, and obstruction index were compared between the 2 groups before and after treatment. Results Compared with before treatment, RV/LV, superior vena cava and pulmonary artery diameter, and obstruction index were obviously decreased in the severe group (P<0.05). But, for the non-severe group, only pulmonary artery diameter and obstruction index were significantly reduced after treatment (P<0.05). Conclusion CTPA can be used for the diagnosis of PE, and it is a fast, effective, non-invasive way to evaluate the efficacy of thrombolysis treatment.