CTA Chest is becoming a very common exam. Almost everyone who presents with chest pain or sob gets a CTA Chest rather than a CT Chest w/contrast. CTA Chest exam is done to diagnose a Pulmonary Embolism (PE). A PE is a blood clot in the lung. This blood clot usually originates from somewhere else in the body and moves to the lung where it becomes lodged causing damage. A PE can be caused by immobilization such as stroke, travel (sitting), trauma, surgery, obesity, etc. Pregnancy can also be a leading cause of PE due to an increase in blood clots. The CTA Chest exam diagnoses a PE by injection of contrast at a high rate (4ml/sec.) This injection is then bolus tracked at the pulmonary artery to highlight a PE.
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