Ultrasound Images That Speak: Assessing the Therapeutic Decision in the Emergency Department Regarding the Risk–Benefit Ratio of Systemic Thrombolysis in Intermediate-High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism—A Case Report

Background: The management of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) in the Emergency Department (ED) remains challenging, particularly in hemodynamically and respiratory stable patients with minimal symptoms. Diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties are further compounded when the condition is complicated by a mobile right atrial thrombus, representing an extreme-risk phenotype. Case Summary: We report the case of a 65-year-old male with a single known venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk factor-chronic venous insufficiency-who presented to the ED following a transient episode of severe dyspnea at home. On admission, he was hemodynamically and respiratory stable, without the need for oxygen supplementation. Arterial blood gas analysis revealed a metabolically compensated acidosis with elevated lactate, while cardiac biomarkers were moderately increased. Emergency point-of-care transthoracic echocardiography (POCUS-TTE) demonstrated severe right ventricular dysfunction and a large, mobile intracardiac thrombus prolapsing through the tricuspid valve. Computed Tomography Pulmonary Angiography confirmed massive bilateral PE. Given the extreme risk for fatal embolization, immediate full-dose systemic thrombolysis with Alteplase (100 mg over 2 hours) was initiated in the ED. Results: Thrombolysis was completed without hemorrhagic complications. Follow-up echocardiography at 2 hours showed complete resolution of the intracardiac thrombus and significant improvement of right ventricular function (RV/RA gradient reduced from 40 mmHg to 28 mmHg). Conclusions: This case highlights the effectiveness and safety of early systemic thrombolysis guided by ED POCUS-TTE in massive pulmonary embolism complicated by a mobile intracardiac thrombus, even in the absence of shock. Such prompt intervention may reduce mortality risk in intermediate-to-high-risk PE subsets, despite limited guidance in current clinical recommendations.