A 35-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with acute onset pleuritic chest pain and dyspnoea. She is tachycardic at 110 beats/min, oxyg...

Question

A 35-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with acute onset pleuritic chest pain and dyspnoea. She is tachycardic at 110 beats/min, oxygen saturation 95% on room air, and haemodynamically stable. She has taken the combined oral contraceptive pill for 5 years. Her Wells score for pulmonary embolism is 3. What is the most appropriate next investigation?

Accepted Answer

D-dimer test

Answer

CT pulmonary angiography immediately

Answer

Ventilation-perfusion scan without prior testing

Answer

Lower limb ultrasound only

Answer

No further testing; treat for musculoskeletal pain

ca-mccqe1 MCQ (SBA): Pulmonary embolism diagnostic approach