How do you diagnose a pulmonary embolism?

Imaging study: Either an angiogram or lung scan can be used. A noninvasive angiogram with a ct scan is most common today.

CT scan: The gold standard for diagnosing a pulmonary embolism is a ct scan of the chest with IV contrast. D-dimer (a blood test) may be used a s a screening tool, if that is negative, your chances of having a thromboembolic event are really low. For people intolerant of IV contrast, or with renal insufficiency, a v/q scan (ventilation-perfusion scan) may be used.