Iveta Šimková, Pavel Jansa, Jozef Pacák, Ivan Vulev
Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), the leading cause of severe pulmonary hypertension, is a severe illness, characterized by progressive course, very poor life quality and prognosis quod vitam. It is the consequence of unresolved acute or recurrent pulmonary embolism. The goal of the diagnosis of CTEPH is to detect pulmonary hypertension and to establish severity and the aetiology of pulmonary hypertension. The key method in the diagnostic algorithm is echocardiography followed by scintigraphy and the right heart catheterisation. Once the CTEPH is determined, exact localization of lesions of pulmonary arteries by computer tomography, magnetic resonance with contrast and the golden standard – pulmonary angiography is crucial. These imaging methods are the basis for the treatment decision making – potentially curable surgical method (pulmonary endarterectomy) or conservative treatment (specific pharmacotherapy). The authors present a review of diagnostic algorithm of CTEPH, they point out the screening resource of risk patients as well as the diagnostic specifics (right heart catheterisation, angiography...), which bound the complex management of CTEPH to specialized institutes.