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PURPOSE: To retrospectively quantify right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) and the pulmonary artery obstruction index at helical computed tomography (CT) on the basis of various criteria proposed in the literature and to assess the predictive value of these CT parameters for mortality within 3 months after the initial diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Institutional review board approval was obtained, and informed consent was not required for retrospective study. In 120 consecutive patients (55 men, 65 women; mean age ± standard deviation, 59 years ± 18) with proved PE, two readers assessed the extent of RVD by quantifying the ratio of the right ventricle to left ventricle short-axis diameters (RV/LV) and the pulmonary artery to ascending aorta diameters, the shape of the interventricular septum, and the extent of obstruction to the pulmonary artery circulation on helical CT …