Altered therapy of suspected pulmonary embolism using leg venography.

The traditional approach to the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism involves attempts to document the embolus in the lungs. An alternative diagnostic approach is to document the source of the embolus in the iliofemoral venous system. The present case shows how a search for leg thrombosis in suspected pulmonary embolism can also have an impact in choosing the optimal therapy to prevent recurrent embolization.