A 60-year-old man presented to the hospital with chest pain shortly after returning from a ski trip, initially referred with a presumed diagnosis of pneumonia. His chest X-ray was unremarkable, troponin was negative, and there were no classic signs of infection, prompting further evaluation.
A bedside AISAP exam revealed a dilated IVC and moderately enlarged right ventricle, raising concern for right heart strain. Based on these findings, the care team pursued CT imaging, which confirmed pulmonary embolism (PE), leading to a timely and accurate diagnosis that may have otherwise been delayed.