A pulmonary embolism (PULL-mun-ary EM-bo-lizm), or PE, is a sudden blockage in a lung artery. The blockage usually is due to a blood clot that traveled to the lung from a vein in the leg called a deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

A clot that forms in one part of the body and travels in the bloodstream to another part of the body is called an embolus (EM-bo-lus).

PE is a serious condition that can cause:

• Permanent damage to part of your lung from lack of blood flow to lung tissue
• Low oxygen levels in your blood
• Damage to other organs in your body from not getting enough oxygen

If a blood clot is large, or if there are many clots, PE can cause death.

At least 100,000 cases of PE occur each year in the United States. PE is the third most common cause of death in hospitalized patients. If left untreated, about 30 percent of patients with PE will die. Most of those who die do so within the first few hours of the event.* Therefore, obtaining a diagnostic quality exam without limitation is very important and that's where MEDRAD's P3T™ technology might help.

Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI/NIH), (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/pe/pe_what.html)

*Weinstein JM; Burton JH; Katz BS, Department of Emergency Medicine; Albany Medical Center; Albany, NY