Pulmonary embolism is a serious, potentially life-threatening cardiopulmonary disease that occurs due to partial or total obstruction of the pulmonary arterial bed. Pulmonary embolism constitutes 5-25% of in-hospital deaths, and mortality is decreased from 30% to 8% with early treatment. Therefore, risk factors should be identified and treatment should be planned to decrease the risk of mortality. Clinical findings, routine laboratory data, electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, and arterial blood gases are not sufficient to diagnose or rule out pulmonary embolus. The presence of some nonspecific findings such as dyspnea, pleuritic chest pain, tachypnea, and tachycardia, and one or more risk factors for venous thromboembolism raise suspicion for pulmonary embolus
