[Clinical aspects of venous diseases and diagnostic demands on radiology]

The author deals with the clinical signs and treatment of the valvular incompetence of the venae saphenae in varicosis of the lower extremities, varicosis or insufficiency of the venae perforantes (an insufficiency of the deep venous system, manifested by an insufficiency of the valvular system of the vena femoralis and venae saphenae but not representing a post-thrombotic syndrome), phlebothrombosis and postthrombosis. Routine phlebography for diagnosing a number of venous diseases has become redundant especially by the use of noninvasive methods such as Doppler ultrasound and light reflection rheography. However, if there is a suspicion of a deep thrombosis in the leg, phlebography is imperative. Dermatological phlebography specialists would like the radiologists to supply them with phlebographic criteria for the disease pattern of the insufficiency of the venae perforantes, vena fermalis and venae saphenae as mentioned above. Whether Duplex scanning can replace phlebography in the long run remains to be seen.