[CT angiography of the pulmonary arteries].

CT angiography of the pulmonary arteries recently appeared as an alternative method potentially useful in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. Technical aspects, normal aspects and variants, diagnostic criteria of pulmonary embolism as well as potential pitfalls are successively described. The accuracy of CT angiography compared with pulmonary angiography and V-Q scintigraphy has been evaluated in several studies. The method appears accurate for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism at the level of segmental arteries. The signification of more distal embolism remains however controversed. CT angiography seems to play a major role in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism, as well as echo-doppler of the legs.