Arterial contrast extravasation on dynamic CT imaging (also known as 4DCT or dynamic volume CT) appears to be an effective diagnostic indicator for postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) cases resistant to conventional treatment, researchers have reported.
The results indicate that this CT finding is a “distinct and common pathology in severe PPH and [is] associated with the need for interventional procedures,” according to a team led by Munekage Yamaguchi, MD, PhD, of Kumamoto University in Japan. The group’s work was published May 23 in JAMA Network Open.
PPH is a leading cause of maternal mortality around the world, “accounting for 8% of maternal deaths even in developed regions,” the group explained. Traditional diagnosis of PPH consists of quantifying blood loss, but this can be…