Correlation of right ventricular dysfunction parameters and pulmonary vascular obstruction score in acute pulmonary embolism in a porcine model

This paper aims to non-invasively determine right ventricular dysfunction parameters (RVDP) in acute pulmonary embolism (APE) and to correlate these parameters with a computed tomography (CT)-based pulmonary artery obstruction score (OS). In seven domestic pigs, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed before (n = 7) and after (n = 5) APE was induced. Analysis of relative changes in right ventricular stroke volume (RVSV%), output (RVO%), end-systolic (RVESV%), end-diastolic volume (RVEDV%), and heart rate (HR%) was performed. Additionally, for the determination of the OS, all animals underwent contrast-enhanced CT–pulmonary angiography. The CT-based OS correlated strongly with RVSV% (r = 0.9576; p = 0.0104) and RVO% (r = 0.9703; p = 0.0061). Contrarily, almost no correlation could be demonstrated for the OS and the increase of RVESV % (r = 0.3850; p = 0.5222), RVEDV% (r = 0.1830; p = 0.7683), and HR% (r = 0.5494; p = 0.3375). The results of this experimental study underline that the CT-based OS correlates with RVDP as determined by cardiac MRI and might be a helpful tool for the severity assessment in APE.