[Color-coded Doppler sonography for phlebothrombosis]

Area of Science:

• Vascular Medicine
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Radiology

Background:

• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pelvic thrombosis are serious conditions requiring accurate diagnosis.
• Conventional phlebography is an established diagnostic tool but is invasive.
• Noninvasive imaging techniques are sought to improve DVT diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of color Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) for venous thrombosis.
• To compare CDUS with conventional phlebography in diagnosing acute venous thrombosis.
• To assess CDUS's utility in monitoring thrombolytic treatment for venous thrombosis.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 180 patients suspected of DVT or pelvic thrombosis.
• Comparison of CDUS findings with conventional phlebography results.
• Assessment of CDUS and phlebography in evaluating thrombolytic therapy outcomes.

Main Results:

• CDUS demonstrated 99% specificity and 94% sensitivity for acute venous thrombosis compared to phlebography.
• In patients undergoing thrombolytic treatment, CDUS showed 99% specificity and 97% sensitivity.
• CDUS effectively identified residual flow in partly thrombosed veins, potentially exceeding phlebography's capabilities.

Conclusions:

• Color Doppler ultrasound is a highly accurate and reliable noninvasive method for diagnosing venous thrombosis of the legs.
• CDUS offers diagnostic performance comparable to, and potentially superior to, conventional phlebography.
• CDUS is valuable for assessing treatment response in patients with venous thrombosis.