You appear to be using an old web browser that may not properly display our pages. Our sites are built using standards compliant guidelines that require a more recent web browser such as:

Internet Explorer 6+
FireFox 1+
Netscape 6+

Case of the Month 04/10

This 27 year old healthy female presented to the ED complaining of shortness of breath after a recent flight.

Question 1: What’s wrong with these pictures? (extra credit if you know the correct eponym.)

If you’re still stuck, check out the image below from the same CT…

One more hint if you need it…

Popliteal sono without compression

Popliteal sono WITH compression

View answer

Answer 1:

She has a saddle pulmonary embolism (arrows below) with a wedge infarct (also called Hampton's hump, circled below) on CT. The hint is the popliteal vein which does not collapse with compression. Interestingly, her chest x-ray was completely normal. Her EKG (see below) had tachycardia, right heart strain and an S1Q3T3.