A 64-year-old man presents with pleuritic chest pain and dyspnoea. His Wells score for pulmonary embolism is low, and he has no signs of DVT. Accordin...

Question

A 64-year-old man presents with pleuritic chest pain and dyspnoea. His Wells score for pulmonary embolism is low, and he has no signs of DVT. According to accepted diagnostic algorithms, what is the most appropriate next step?

Accepted Answer

Request a high-sensitivity D-dimer test and proceed to imaging only if positive

Answer

Order CT pulmonary angiography immediately

Answer

Start full-dose anticoagulation without further testing

Answer

Perform V/Q scan in all low-risk patients

Answer

No further tests; PE is excluded by low Wells score alone

ca-mccqe1 MCQ (SBA): Pulmonary embolism diagnosis

A 64-year-old man presents with pleuritic chest pain and dyspnoea. His Wells score for pulmonary embolism is low, and he has no signs of DVT. According to accepted diagnostic algorithms, what is the most appropriate next step?