NuvaRing And Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis

by Steve Fields on January 30th, 2010

NuvaRing pulmonary embolism (PE) is one of the serious Nuvaring side effects that is triggered when blood clots travel from deep veins to your lungs. If emboli (i.e. migrating clots) reach your pulmonary arteries and restrict the flow of blood to your lungs, you will suffer PE. If the condition is diagnosed quickly and the blockage is treated, damage to your lung tissue will be limited. Unfortunately, a PE is often difficult to diagnose.

There are several tests your doctor can perform to check for blood clots in your lungs. Some tests are more invasive than others; they require more time and pose risks. For that reason, your doctor will prefer to start with the easiest and least invasive tests. If there is a high likelihood that pulmonary embolism exists, invasive tests that can yield a conclusive diagnosis (e.g. pulmonary angiography) may be performed first.

Chest X-Rays And D-Dimer Tests

Chest X-rays and d-Dimer tests are noninvasive, but are also inconclusive. Chest X-rays can help your physician identify factors unrelated to PE that may be causing your symptoms. If such factors are present, that may help rule out pulmonary embolism. X-rays are unable to conclusively diagnose PE because they will not show blood clots.

A d-Dimer test can be performed to identify changes in the level of fibrin fragments within your blood. Fibrin is a clot-dissolving agent. If a d-Dimer test shows elevated levels, it suggests the presence of clots, though those levels can be attributed to other factors. If the test does not show elevated levels, NuvaRing blood clots can often be ruled out.

Ventilation-Perfusion Scan – V/Q Scan

During a lung perfusion scan, radioisotopes (i.e. radioactive material) are introduced into your body through inhalation and injection. As this material circulates, a special camera takes pictures of its progress. Your doctor will be able to study the camera’s images to examine your airflow and the flow of your blood throughout your lungs. If there is an area within your lungs with few radioisotopes present, that suggests a blocked artery and pulmonary embolism.

Spiral/Helical Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan

Traditional CT scans take multiple X-rays of your body from various angles and use them to construct 2-dimensional images. A spiral or helical CT scan takes X-rays by rotating around your body. That produces 3-dimensional images that make it easier for your doctor to identify aberrations.

Duplex Ultrasound

Because most cases of pulmonary embolism are caused by blood clots that migrate from deep veins in the legs, a duplex ultrasound is often used to identify deep vein thrombosis (DVT). A transducer is moved back and forth across the surface of your legs. The device emits high-frequency sound waves that bounce off the venous walls. The echoes produced by the bounces are recorded by a computer, which generates images of your blood flow. Your doctor can study the images to identify whether clots are present. Their presence increases the likelihood of pulmonary embolism.

Pulmonary Angiography

A pulmonary angiogram can be performed to study blood flow through the pulmonary arteries. It is the most accurate test for diagnosing PE. However, because it is invasive, it is normally used only when the tests described above fail to yield a conclusive diagnosis.

During pulmonary angiography, a radiopaque dye is injected through a catheter into your pulmonary arteries. This dye shows up on X-rays and allows your doctor to study blood flow and identify blockages. There is a risk of temporary arrhythmia and kidney damage.

Many women with no predisposition toward clotting have developed blood clots after using NuvaRing. When these clots form in a deep vein, they can break away and travel to your lungs. If they block one of your pulmonary arteries and prevent blood from reaching your lung tissue, you will experience pulmonary embolism. If you have suffered abnormal clotting after using this birth control ring, contact a NuvaRing lawyer to discuss your legal rights. You may be able to seek compensation from the manufacturer including filing a Nuvaring lawsuit.