Nuclear imaging in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: increasingly central to diagnosis and management

Excerpt

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is defined by elevated pulmonary artery pressure which is associated with symptoms of dyspnea and exercise limitation, impaired health-related quality of life, and typically premature mortality due to right ventricular (RV) failure. PH specifically due to multiple or recurrent pulmonary emboli is classified as WHO Group 4 chronic thromboembolic PH and defined as PH due to persistent pulmonary arterial obstruction by organized thrombi.^1‐3 Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH) is a common, important cause of PH that is usually progressive resulting in RV failure, and is often fatal, especially if unrecognized and/or untreated. CTEPH has been the focus of extensive clinical research, leading to several international clinical practice guidelines and consensus statements with strong recommendations in support of accurate diagnostic approaches and several effective treatment options to improve clinical outcomes including quality of life and survival.^1,4,5 …