To help confirm pulmonary embolus, which laboratory test should be checked?

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Multiple Choice

To help confirm pulmonary embolus, which laboratory test should be checked?

Explanation:
D-dimer testing is used because it detects fibrin degradation products released when a clot forms and is broken down. Its high sensitivity means a normal D-dimer makes pulmonary embolism unlikely in patients with low to intermediate pretest probability, helping to rule out PE without imaging. A positive result, while indicating there may be thrombosis, is not specific to PE and can be seen in many conditions (infection, inflammation, recent surgery, pregnancy, cancer), so it then prompts imaging to confirm. Other options don’t relate directly to clot breakdown or thrombotic activity—CBC, ABG, and serum sodium can reflect other issues but not confirm a clot.

D-dimer testing is used because it detects fibrin degradation products released when a clot forms and is broken down. Its high sensitivity means a normal D-dimer makes pulmonary embolism unlikely in patients with low to intermediate pretest probability, helping to rule out PE without imaging. A positive result, while indicating there may be thrombosis, is not specific to PE and can be seen in many conditions (infection, inflammation, recent surgery, pregnancy, cancer), so it then prompts imaging to confirm. Other options don’t relate directly to clot breakdown or thrombotic activity—CBC, ABG, and serum sodium can reflect other issues but not confirm a clot.

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