Question

A bedridden patient experiences acute chest pain that is worsened by breathing. Which imaging technique would be most helpful?

• A. USG
• B. X-ray chest
• C. Ventilation perfusion scan
• D. CT scan

Hint:

Which non-invasive scan has replaced pulmonary angiography for PE?

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: A bedridden patient with sudden pleuritic chest pain (pain worsened by breathing) is a classic presentation of pulmonary embolism (PE), which also causes sudden dyspnea, tachypnea, cough, and hemoptysis.

Step 2: The gold standard for diagnosing PE has traditionally been pulmonary angiography, but it is invasive and now used less often.

Step 3: CT pulmonary angiography (CT scan) has become the preferred modality because it is non-invasive, widely available, and accurately demonstrates the embolus, so option 4 is the best answer.

Step 4: A chest X-ray and USG are non-specific, and a ventilation-perfusion scan is reserved for patients who cannot undergo CT, so they are less helpful first choices.