Incidental pulmonary embolism in cancer patients undergoing routine CT chest.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of incidental pulmonary embolism in cancer patients undergoing routine CT chest. Study Design: Cross-Sectional study. Setting: Department of Radiology, Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad. Period: Eleven months (January to November ‘25). Methods: Included 650 adult cancer patients aged 18–60 years who underwent contrast-enhanced CT chest for diagnostic evaluation, treatment response assessment, or routine surveillance. Patients with suspected or previously diagnosed pulmonary embolism were excluded. Incidental pulmonary embolism was defined as an intraluminal filling defect within the pulmonary arterial vasculature detected on CT performed for indications unrelated to pulmonary embolism. All scans were interpreted by an experienced consultant radiologist. Results: Incidental pulmonary embolism was detected in 20 patients, yielding a frequency of 3.1%. Although a higher proportion of pulmonary embolism was observed in patients aged 31–60 years and in males, no statistically significant association was found with age or gender. Similarly, incidental pulmonary embolism showed no significant association with cancer type, disease stage, or treatment modality. Conclusion: Incidental pulmonary embolism was identified in a small but clinically important proportion of cancer patients undergoing routine CT chest. Given its potential prognostic implications, careful radiological evaluation and appropriate clinical management of incidental pulmonary embolism are essential to reduce morbidity and mortality in oncology patients.