Lung Perfusion Imaging in Electromechanical Dissociation from Massive Pulmonary Embolization

Abstract

A 70-year-old woman became acutely short of breath and suffered cardiopulmonary arrest 1 week after left upper lobectomy for carcinoma of the lung. Normal sinus rhythm was restored but no pulse or blood pressure could be detected (electromechanical dissociation). She was placed on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), and lung perfusion imaging was performed to look for pulmonary emboli. The patient was unable to maintain a pulse or pressure without ECMO and after several hours was allowed to die. At autopsy, diffuse, scattered, large pulmonary emboli were found.