Deep venous thrombosis: detection by high-resolution real-time ultrasonography

Area of Science:

• Vascular Medicine
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Radiology

Background:

• Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality.
• Accurate and timely diagnosis of DVT is crucial for effective treatment.
• Contrast venography has been the gold standard but is invasive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of high-resolution real-time ultrasonography for lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (DVT).
• To compare sonographic findings with contrast venography in patients with suspected DVT.

Main Methods:

• High-resolution real-time ultrasonography was performed on 11 patients with suspected lower extremity DVT.
• Contrast venography was conducted within 24 hours for comparison.
• Sonographic assessment included intraluminal thrombi, vein compressibility, and Valsalva maneuver response in the common femoral and popliteal veins.

Main Results:

• Six out of 11 patients were diagnosed with DVT via contrast venography.
• Ultrasonography demonstrated complete agreement with contrast venography in identifying the presence or absence of thrombi in the common femoral and popliteal veins for all six positive cases.

Conclusions:

• High-resolution real-time ultrasonography is a reliable and accurate non-invasive method for diagnosing deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in the lower extremities.
• Sonography offers a valuable alternative to contrast venography, showing excellent concordance in detecting DVT.