Portable CT Pulmonary Angiogram in an Infant on Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Computed tomography (CT) has been shown to change management in children on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Although techniques have been described to transport these critically ill patients to the CT suite in the radiology department, transport out of the intensive care setting is not without risk, and using portable CT is a practical alternative. However, obtaining a CT pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) in a patient on veno-arterial (VA) ECMO presents unique challenges due to bypass of the cardiopulmonary system, which may lead to suboptimal opacification of the pulmonary arteries.
Source: Current Problems in Diagnostic Radiology - Category: Radiology Authors: Source Type: research