The ACP CPG on the evaluation of patients with a suspected acute PE has the following primary recommendations:
- Use a validated clinical prediction rule to estimate pretest probability in patients with a possible acute PE (options include the Wells criteria or the Revised Geneva Score) to determine if patients are low-risk, intermediate-risk, or high-risk pretest probability for a PE
- Do not order any lab or imaging tests for patients at low-risk who have a PERC score (pulmonary emboli rule-out criteria) of zero. This rule essentially rules out PE in low-risk patients
- Obtain a high-sensitivity D-dimer test for all patients at low-risk with a PERC score of 1 or more or have intermediate pretest probability.
- Use age-adjusted D-dimer thresholds (10 ng/mL x age) for all patients above the age of 50.
- Avoid ordering any imaging studies for patients with a high-sensitivity D-dimer level less than the age-based D-dimer threshold.
- Obtain a multi-slice CT pulmonary angiogram for all patients with a high pretest probability, or an intermediate pretest probability with an elevated D-dimer test. Clinical judgement should determine how to address patients with a low pretest probability with a PERC score of 1 or more and an elevated D-dimer test.
PERC tool is negative if the patient meets all of the following criteria:
- Age<50
- HR<100
- SpO2>94% on room air
- No unilateral leg swelling
- No hemoptysis
- No surgery or trauma in the past 4 weeks
- No history of venous thromboembolism (VTE)
- No estrogen use
