[Practical proposals for overcoming problems with phlebography]

Venography is considered the gold standard in the diagnosis of venous disease. In the everyday practice, however, it is not used according to this attribute. The article scrutinizes the reasons for the discrepancy, emphasizes the possibilities wrongly renounced to and gives advice to a better indication for and execution of venography. Arguments not to use venography regularly to diagnose or exclude deep venous thrombosis, include claims that it would be superfluous, not readily available, invasive and expensive. Such considerations do not take into account that the clinical diagnosis it not better than tossing a coin. Real difficulties may occur in the evaluation of complicated superficial disease and the postthrombotic syndrome. The problems are minimized by using a methodology based on pathophysiologic knowledge and strictly aimed to solve specific therapeutic questions. The article stresses the need for a proper prevenographic work-up and for a technique tailored to the clinical situation of each individual patient.