Patent ID: 8501155

Claim:
A method of differentiating between singular and multiple lung embolism in a human subject suspected of suffering from acute lung embolism comprising measuring an amount of NT-proBNP (NT-pro brain natriuretic peptide) in a sample taken from the subject at a first time point, wherein the NT-ProBNP has an amino acid sequence of 76 amino acids corresponding to the N-terminal portion of human NT-ProBNP, measuring an amount of NT-proANP (NT-pro atrial natriuretic peptide) in the sample taken from the subject at a first time point, wherein the NT-ProANP has an amino acid sequence of 98 amino acids corresponding to the N-terminal portion of human NT-ProANP, measuring an amount of NT-proANP in a sample taken from the subject at a second time point, comparing the amount of NT-proBNP measured to a reference amount of NT-proBNP, whereby a measured amount of NT-proBNP less than the reference amount is indicative of singular lung embolism and a measured amount of NT-proBNP larger than the reference amount is indicative of multiple lung embolism, and comparing the amount of NT-proANP measured in the sample taken at a first time point to the amount of NT-proANP measured in the sample taken at a second time point, wherein a decrease in NT-proANP from the first time point to the second time point is indicative of an acute lung embolism.