Wouldn’t it be great to have a reliable, radiation-free way to diagnose pulmonary embolism? Unfortunately, Magnetic Resonance Angiography is not it. In a study of 371 patients across 7 hospitals from the PIOPED III (Prospective Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis III) investigators, the test was technically inadequate because of poor-quality images in 25% of cases. In those tests that were readable, the sensitivity was only 78%.
Gadolinium-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Angiography for Pulmonary Embolism: A Multicenter Prospective Study (PIOPED III)
Ann Intern Med. 2010 Apr 6;152(7):434-43