The nurse is caring for a patient with a suspected pulmonary embolism. Which diagnostic tests or procedures should the nurse expect to be prescribed for this patient? (Select all that apply.)
a. D-dimer
b. Spirometry
c. Angiogram
d. Bronchoscopy
e. Ventilation-perfusion lung scan
f. Spiral computed tomography (CT) scan
ANS: A, C, E, F
A spiral CT scan is a new and fast type of CT scan that is noninvasive and can diagnose PE quickly. If this is not available, a lung scan (ventilation-perfusion scan) is done to assess the extent of ventilation of lung tissue and the areas of blood perfusion. A pulmonary angiogram can outline the pulmonary vessels with a radiopaque dye injected via a cardiac catheter. D-dimer is a fibrin fragment that is found in the blood after any thrombus formation. It can be present in a number of disorders, but if it is negative, PE can be eliminated as a possible cause of the patient's symptoms. D. Bronchoscopy is not used to determine PE. B. Spirometry is not a diagnostic test.
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