Usefulness of multidetector spiral computed tomography according to age and gender for diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism.

Data from the Prospective Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis II (PIOPED II) were evaluated to test the hypothesis that the performance of multidetector computed tomographic (CT) pulmonary angiography and CT venography is independent of a patient's age and gender. In 773 patients with adequate CT pulmonary angiography and 737 patients with adequate CT pulmonary angiography and CT venography, the sensitivity and specificity for pulmonary embolism for groups of patients aged 18 to 59, 60 to 79, and 80 to 99 years did not differ to a statistically significant extent, nor were there significant differences according to gender. Overall, however, the specificity of CT pulmonary angiography was somewhat greater in women, but in men and women, it was > or =93%. In conclusion, the results indicate that multidetector CT pulmonary angiography and CT pulmonary angiography and CT venography may be used with various diagnostic strategies in adults of all ages and both genders.